City Council

8. MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO ALLOW THE UPSIZING OF NEW SOLAR CUSTOMER-GENERATOR SYSTEMS WITHIN PASADENA WATER AND POWER’S SERVICE TERRITORY (Water & Power Dept.) Recommendation: It is recommended that the City Council: (1) Find that the proposed actions in the agenda report are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the “Common Sense” exemption, and as such, no environmental document pursuant to CEQA is required; (2) Adopt a resolution to authorize the Pasadena Water and Power Department ("PWP") to allow the upsizing of new solar customer-generator systems within its service territory as follows: a. to allow solar customer-generator system sizing up to 150% of the customer's maximum annual historical usage within the past five years subject to localized distribution grid sufficiency, and b. to allow solar customer-generator systems sizing greater than 150% of the customer's maximum annual historical usage within the past five years, provided that such installations do not exceed one megawatt, if paired with an energy storage system, subject to localized distribution grid sufficiency; and (3) Direct PWP staff to provide the Municipal Services Committee recommendations to incentivize battery storage, such as a battery rebate program, in advance of time-of-use rate implementation. Municipal Services Commission recommendation: Staff presented this item to the Municipal Services Committee ("MSC") on August 26, 2025, with a recommendation to direct the City Attorney to prepare and return with an ordinance within 60 days amending Pasadena Municipal Code ("PMC") Section 13.04.177, among other things. The original recommendation has been revised based on the Committee's direction, as outlined in the agenda report. Subsequently, as part of the Electric Rate Study and future required amendments to Title 13 of the PMC, relevant portions of the resolution would be codified as appropriate.