The Park City Council voted unanimously April 30 to join Utah’s Community Clean Energy Program.
Customers using Rocky Mountain Power can expect to see a $4 fee on their monthly electric bills following the program's launch. Businesses will see a roughly 5% increase in electricity costs.
Low-income residents are exempt from the extra fees, including a termination fee for opting out.
The program is expected to roll out later this year or early next. Once it begins, customers have 6 months to opt out without paying a penalty.
Environmental Sustainability Manager Luke Cartin said Park City has a long history with the program.
“In 2019 the city did something it hadn’t ever done before,” he said. “We went out and helped float a bill. It was ourselves, Rocky Mountain Power, Salt Lake City, Summit County, all jointly went to the Legislature and said ‘we have this creative idea.’”
That idea was to create what Cartin described as a “complex but beneficial utility program.”
Known as the Community Clean Energy Program, it directs money from the monthly fees towards clean energy projects. That includes building new infrastructure to offset energy demands.
Nineteen Utah municipalities have expressed an interest in joining the program, which is unique to the state.
Summit County enrolled in April; Coalville, Oakley, and Francis also have the chance to opt in by June 2.