Solar measure ordered drafted

The City Council voted Tuesday to draft a solar rooftop measure for the March 3 ballot, even though officials with the Department of Water and Power still don’t know what the initiative would do to electrical rates.

On a 14-0 vote, the council instructed City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo to write the ballot language for the solar plan, which was crafted in large part by officials at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the union that represents DWP employees.

Although DWP officials said the plan could cost $1.5 billion to $3 billion, they have not yet produced a rate study that explains whether it would lead to higher electricity bills.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the time to fully understand and analyze this proposal,” said Councilman Richard Alarcon, who voted to draft the ballot measure anyway.

The council must decide by Nov. 7 whether to put the initiative on the ballot. DWP General Manager H. David Nahai said he expected to know before then whether the plan would cause rates to rise.

-- David Zahniser