OGDEN — Ogden City is moving forward with its involvement in Utah’s Community Renewable Energy program.

The Ogden City Council voted 5-2 Tuesday night to approve a resolution that ensures the city’s participation in the development of the rate structure associated with the program while also appropriating $35,738 in city funds toward the effort.

First introduced with House Bill 411, the renewable energy effort is the ambitious clean-energy program adopted by the Utah Legislature during 2019’s general session. The bill calls for Utah cities that choose to participate to move to a net 100% electric energy use from renewable resources by 2030. In December 2019, the council voted 5-2 to adopt a resolution that established a citywide goal to transition to net 100% renewable energy by the target date. The vote also signaled the city’s intent to consider the program as the channel to reach that goal.

Essentially, the program creates an avenue for Utah cities to join together to increase power generation through environmentally friendly, renewable means that would ultimately be produced by Rocky Mountain Power. The program has many supporters, and Ogden proponents have been vocal about the benefits of the plan throughout the city’s involvement in the process. Supporters say power in numbers will come if enough communities join the program and prompt Rocky Mountain Power to build more renewable energy production facilities, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuels, like coal, which can harm the environment.

The city’s resolution doesn’t mean Ogden is locked into the program for good. The final deadline to join the program is Jan. 31, 2022. That’s when a joint utility agreement with Rocky Mountain Power that finalizes terms of the deal between the participating communities and the power company would be forged. The deal would ultimately be reviewed by the Utah Public Service Commission. If the Ogden council opts to join the program at that point, another $35,738 appropriation toward the program would be required from the city.

Tuesday’s resolution essentially allows Ogden to have a more meaningful, hands-on role in the effort’s development up to the January 2022 deadline.

“I just really believe we need to be actively involved in those discussions,” said Council member Angela Choberka Tuesday night. “It’s beyond my capacity to understand all the questions that need to be asked, but we have a partner that’s willing to help support us in doing that … we might eventually determine it’s not the right fit for us … but I think it’s worth that relatively small investment to find that out.”

Environmental experts from Weber State University’s Energy and Sustainability Office have agreed to help the city navigate the program, which seems to have persuaded some council members who had previously expressed concerns over the potential of increased power rates by moving to renewable resources and, notably, how that could impact lower-income Ogden residents.

The program includes an opt-out provision, allowing individuals to stay with whatever standard rates are in place, but among other things, city officials have expressed concerns that some residents not interested in the issue would miss the notices on how to opt out.

“They’ve got some expertise I don’t think we have,” said Council member Ben Nadolski. “I had a lot of questions and concerns prior to tonight that those … Weber State experts helped answer for me. I really feel like the program development and the seat at the table is really important.”