Tag: Orange County Power Authority

Orange County Power Authority Survives Dissolution Vote by Board Members

The Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) survived a vote by its board to dissolve it during their June 21 board meeting. The issue was agendized by Board Director Casey McKeon, who is also a councilman for the City of Huntington Beach, which voted to leave the agency last month. “I don’t believe the errors and…


Cities Should Be Ready for More Surprises From Orange County Power Authority

Orange County cities are on the cusp of learning that their general funds are exposed to liability claims due to the Orange County Power Authority’s (OCPA) activities. [1] Supporters of community choice aggregation (CCA) champion its “financial firewall” as a catch-all safety net against financial loss. However, CCAs—which automatically switch consumers into their programs amid…


Fired Orange County Power Authority CEO Receives Large Severance, in Part, for Silence

The Orange County Power Authority has moved on from their former Chief Executive Officer Brian Probolksy—and paid extra to do so—after facing scrutiny for months under Probolsky’s leadership, which led to his firing in April. In documents obtained by the online news outlet Voice of OC, a copy of the former CEO’s severance agreement showed…


Buena Park Officials Hopeful of Future of Orange County Power Authority

Buena Park city councilors unanimously voiced support during a study session on June 6 to continue the city’s membership with the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA), despite other member agencies dropping out like Huntington Beach in May and the County of Orange in December. At the meeting, Joe Mosca, the green energy agency’s newly-selected interim…


Irvine Councilors Debate Over Leaving Orange County Power Authority, Decide to Stay

The city of Irvine briefly discussed the possibility of exiting the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA), again, during their regular May 23 city council meeting, but decided to stay, without taking an official vote. The discussion came on the heels of Huntington Beach’s vote to exit the agency on May 16. Agendized by Councilmen Larry…


Huntington Beach Leaves Orange County Power Authority Over Continued Transparency Concerns

The Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) will stop providing power to residents and businesses in Huntington Beach after a split vote on May 16, where city councilors voted 4–3 to leave the embattled green energy agency. Huntington Beach’s actions follow the December withdrawal from the agency also by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The…


Embattled Orange County Green Energy Agency Replaces CEO

The board of the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) selected an interim CEO on May 8 to replace the recently fired Brian Probolsky, whose last day is May 31. Joe Mosca, the agency’s director of communications and external affairs, was unanimously chosen for the role during a closed session meeting. His new position is effective June…


How Much Dirty Power Is Hidden in OCPA’s Renewable Energy Options?

Commentary All four of Orange County Power Authority’s (OCPA) audits failed to identify and examine the central question surrounding the Southern California agency—how much dirty power is hidden in its renewable energy products? That shortcoming is now playing out as OCPA leadership plays hide-the-ball with an inquiring public. Promises of transparency following the recent termination…


Orange County Power Authority Fires CEO Brian Probolsky

Behind closed doors, the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) voted to relieve chief executive officer Brian Probolsky of his position on April 19 after the embattled green energy agency has faced pressure from city and county leaders to find new leadership. During the Wednesday meeting in Irvine, California, board members voted 3-1 with Jose Castaneda,…


Orange County Power Authority ‘Skirts Board Oversight’ in Awarding Contracts: State Audit

The executives of the embattled Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) sidestepped their company guidelines to avoid board supervision, the California State Auditor said in an audit report released Feb. 28. Staff members of the green power agency—which procures energy for Irvine, Huntington Beach, Fullerton, and Buena Park—“skirted [their] board’s oversight” when awarding contracts to certain…