On June 24, 2019, in a major step towards supporting state and local energy and climate goals, East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) signed a contract for a new clean energy project at an event in Oakland’s Jack London Square. The project, part of the Oakland Clean Energy Initiative, involves a 10-year agreement for 20 megawatts of battery energy storage with Texas-based Vistra Energy. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati represented EBCE in the deal.

According to a press release, the Oakland Clean Energy Initiative (OCEI) aims to replace a 40-year-old fossil fuel power plant that was acquired by Vistra in 2018, with clean energy resources. The storage project will provide EBCE with local resource adequacy—electric generating capacity that is available to serve demand even under stressful system conditions.

All told, EBCE has this month signed contracts totaling 213.5 megawatts with new California-based renewable energy facilities, and 50 megawatts of energy storage, delivering on its commitment to drive the development of new clean energy resources and green jobs in Alameda County and beyond, and to address climate change by reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. All projects are located within California.

The Wilson Sonsini team that represented EBCE in the Oakland Clean Energy Initiative deal included partner Peter Mostow.