The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a new pilot program aimed at fully electrifying selected mobilehome parks throughout the state. The initiative, approved during the CPUC’s November 20 Voting Meeting, is part of ongoing efforts to support California’s decarbonization and equity objectives.
Investor-owned utilities will collaborate with the California Energy Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) program as part of this effort. The EBD program provides energy efficiency improvements, electric appliances, and necessary upgrades to participants at little or no cost. In addition, residents will be enrolled in the CPUC’s Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program, which transitions submetered electrical systems to direct-metered, utility-owned systems.
According to the CPUC, “This electrification pilot initiative…will help the CPUC better understand technical, legal, and policy concerns related to mobilehome park electrification and to inform potential changes to the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program.”
The original Mobilehome Park Pilot Program was established in 2014 to encourage conversions from master-metered natural gas and electric systems to direct utility service. Based on positive evaluations of that pilot, the current 10-year Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program was created for 2021 through 2030.
The new pilot is designed to provide further insight into challenges associated with electrifying mobilehome parks and may lead to updates in existing programs. The CPUC regulates services and utilities in California and works to ensure safe and reliable infrastructure for consumers across the state. More information about these programs can be found on the CPUC website.
