Pasadena Water and Power Sets June 25 Open House at Jackie Robinson Community Center

Pasadena Water and Power will hold its second annual Interactive Open House on Thursday, June 25, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jackie Robinson Community Center in northwest Pasadena, the city announced Monday.

The event, set for the city-owned community center at 1020 N. Fair Oaks Ave., will allow PWP customers to drop in at any point during the 90-minute window and speak with utility staff and General Manager David Reyes about a recently launched solar and battery storage rebate program, current and upcoming rates, infrastructure priorities, water conservation, and energy-efficiency incentives, according to the May 18 city press release. PWP serves more than 65,000 electricity customers and delivers water to nearly 38,000 households and businesses in Pasadena and adjacent communities in the San Gabriel Valley.

The press release said attendees will move through multiple themed stations covering how to read a PWP bill, the new rebates, and the utility’s plans for service reliability. Light refreshments will be available, and the event will be drop-in throughout the 90-minute period.

“Community engagement is essential to ensuring PWP meets the needs of the residents, businesses, and visitors we serve,” Reyes said in the press release. “This event gives our customers a chance to meet the people behind their utility, learn more about the services they rely on, and share feedback.”

The Open House follows PWP’s inaugural community event held June 26, 2025, at Victory Park Recreation Center. That event drew more than 150 attendees, according to the City Manager’s Weekly Newsletter for July 10, 2025. In a January interview with the American Public Power Association, Reyes said the 2025 event used 10 themed stations and that he walked from station to station with his executive team to take questions from customers.

“We’re looking forward to building on the success of last year’s inaugural event,” Reyes said in the May 18 press release.

The June 25 event arrives weeks after PWP launched a solar and battery storage rebate pilot program on April 2, 2026, according to a separate city press release. Under the pilot, eligible residential electric customers can receive a rebate of $0.60 per watt for the purchase and installation of a new permanent rooftop solar system, the city said, and qualifying commercial customers may receive rebates of up to $80,000 per meter for solar installations or expansions. Tiered battery energy storage rebates are also available up to $80,000 per meter, according to the April release.

The rebate program supports the City of Pasadena’s goal of achieving 100% carbon-free electricity by the end of 2030, the city said. The Pasadena City Council unanimously approved an Optimized Strategic Plan on December 15, 2025, to guide PWP toward that goal.

Reyes was appointed permanent General Manager of PWP effective May 5, 2025, by City Manager Miguel Márquez. PWP, a community-owned and not-for-profit utility operated by the City of Pasadena, has an annual operating and capital budget of approximately $450 million and roughly 430 full-time equivalent employees, according to the city.

The Jackie Robinson Community Center, located in the neighborhood where Robinson grew up, was dedicated in his name on June 2, 1974.

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at PWPweb.com/OpenHouse, the city said. For accessibility information or to request an accommodation, residents may contact (626) 744-7311 or CSC@CityOfPasadena.net; the press release said at least 72 hours’ notice will help ensure availability. Media contact for the event is Lisa Derderian, Chief Communications Officer in the City Manager’s Office, at (626) 744-4755 or lderderian@cityofpasadena.net.

“We had about 150 attendees — which was exciting — from the community and we got a really good response from community and city leadership for putting that on,” Reyes told the American Public Power Association in his January interview, recalling the 2025 event.