Pasadena Water and Power Earns Designations for Electric Vehicle Policies and Cybersecurity

Pasadena Water and Power has received designations for its work expanding electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and for its cybersecurity practices.

The City of Pasadena and PWP recently received a Silver designation from the national Charging Smart program for policies that facilitate the expansion of electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure. Those policies include 162 public charging stations at 13 sites across the city, rebates for owning qualifying vehicles and home chargers, and work with commercial partners to expand EV charging opportunities.

The designation comes from Energy Ready, a program led by the International City/County Management Association and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Transportation Technologies Office.

As a Silver designee, Pasadena has adopted nationally recognized best practices to accelerate EV deployment in the community, according to the city. To earn the designation, Pasadena took actions that will make it faster, easier and more affordable for residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations to install EV infrastructure and adopt EVs.

“A core PWP priority is expanding opportunities for residents to choose new or used electric vehicles and ensuring they have convenient, reliable charging options that contribute to cleaner air for our community,” PWP General Manager David Reyes said. “We’re grateful to receive the Charging Smart Silver Designation, which recognizes our ongoing commitment to creating accessible and sustainable EV infrastructure in Pasadena. I’d also like to extend a special thank you to the PWP team for their outstanding work in this area.”

Information on EV rebates and nearby charging stations is available at PWPweb.com/EV.

Separately, PWP’s Finance and Administration Business Unit earned a designation through the American Public Power Association’s Cybersecurity Accelerator Program for demonstrating implementation of core cybersecurity practices that support a resilient electric grid.

The association primarily assessed PWP’s internal controls that maintain the integrity of the utility’s networks and data; the governance and training that guide its security strategy and accountability; its cyber incident response structure; and its cyber risk management to mitigate risks to critical systems and data.

“In close collaboration with the City of Pasadena’s Department of Information Technology team, the PWP IT security team remains committed to protecting our water and power systems and strengthening our cybersecurity readiness,” Reyes said. “Earning this designation highlights the proactive efforts our team has taken to invest in future-focused security practices for a public power utility.”

PWP also will host Solar Power and Battery 101, a virtual workshop open to all, to help residents navigate new opportunities in residential solar power and battery storage. The workshop begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5.

PWP staff will share rebate information and cover the essential steps of installing solar power and battery storage, including how to choose reputable vendors, the benefits of solar and battery storage, and how to navigate permits and electric code requirements.

Rebates now available to PWP customers save residents an average of 20% to 30% on upfront costs, giving customers more resources than ever to go solar, according to the city.

Solar Power and Battery 101 virtual workshop, 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. Register at PWPweb.com/SolarNovember5.