University of California to Act as Retail Electric Supplier

The University of California will begin directly supplying electricity to its campuses and medical centers this month.

UC will switch from a third-party electricity supplier and begin to provide electric power directly to five of its campuses and three of its medical centers, along with other electric accounts throughout the university.

Last year, UC became a registered Electric Service Provider (ESP), allowing its wholesale power program to serve as the primary energy supplier, under direct access rules, to UC Irvine and its medical center, UC San Diego and its medical center, UC San Francisco and its medical center, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced and a number of other accounts throughout the university.

UC's ability to enter into its own long-term contracts is intended to help control costs. UC staff estimate that making this change also could trim the university's power bills by as much as 10 percent in 2015, UC said.