Pasadena Water and Power wants solar panels on 13 city-owned libraries, recreation centers and parking lots by mid-2028, and it's asking private property owners to sell renewable electricity straight back to the grid.
The utility released two requests for proposals Aug. 5, both aimed at hitting the city's deadline to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity by the end of 2030, according to a PWP press release.
The first RFP seeks a design-build contractor to install solar panels and battery storage at 13 municipal sites. Together, those installations would generate about 2.6 megawatts of clean energy capacity. Proposals are due Sept. 30, with construction targeted for completion by June 2028.
A second phase covering 14 more city properties and roughly 6.1 megawatts is expected later this year, with a 2029 completion target. PWP plans additional solicitations in 2027.
The second RFP, called the Clean Power Pasadena Partnership (CP3), opens a new channel: large property owners and clean energy developers can build renewable projects of at least 200 kilowatts and sell the electricity directly to PWP's distribution system. The utility will cover eligible interconnection costs to reduce upfront barriers. That deadline is Oct. 30.
"The initiatives outlined in these RFPs give our community new ways to engage in advancing Pasadena's clean-energy future," PWP General Manager David Reyes said in the announcement.
A fraction of a larger need
The 2.6 megawatts in the first phase represent a small slice of what PWP says it needs. The utility requires up to 375 megawatts of additional renewables and 175 megawatts of storage by decade's end, according to Pasadena Now. The city's long-term goal is 20 megawatts of municipally owned solar generation.
The program grew from a five-site pilot representing about 0.68 megawatts. In late July, the City Council's Municipal Services Committee, chaired by Councilmember Justin Jones, received an update describing an expanded portfolio of 27 city facilities.
"If we're going to hit our 2030 carbon-free targets, we have to put our own municipal assets to work first, turning our city rooftops from policy into power," Jones told Pasadena Now.
Rate increases fund the transition
Ratepayers are helping foot the bill. The City Council approved a three-phase electric rate increase in spring 2026, each phase raising rates about 7%. The first took effect in April; the second is scheduled for October. A third increase is set for March 2027. PWP said most of its roughly 63,000 customers would see either a bill decrease or an increase of less than $10 per phase.
Both RFPs stem from the Optimized Strategic Plan the City Council unanimously approved Dec. 15, 2025. That plan, developed with consulting firm Energy and Environmental Economics, serves as the implementation roadmap for Resolution 9977, which declared climate change an emergency in January 2023.
Proposals for both RFPs can be submitted through the Pasadena OpenGov Procurement Portal. The design-build deadline is Sept. 30; the CP3 partnership deadline is Oct. 30. Residents with questions can call the City Service Center at (626) 744-7311.
