Pasadena Weighs Pace of Spending as Residents Push Faster Action on Carbon-Free Power Plan

Elected and City officials began the difficult discussion on Monday on how to quickly move on major infrastructure investments, as residents urged faster action to meet the city’s goal of achieving 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030.

The discussion came during a joint meeting of the City Council and Finance Committee reviewing the city’s proposed five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), a multibillion-dollar blueprint for spending on utilities, public works and municipal facilities.

The City Council must approve the CIP budget by May 4.

“What would be helpful from all the departments is a candid assessment of what keeps you up at night, how we can help and collaborate with you,” said Councilmember Rick Cole during the Rose Bowl Operating Company’s presentation.

However, it was Pasadena Water and Power’s (PWP) CIP budget that received the most scrutiny from the public.

Public commenters repeatedly pressed the council to accelerate investment in local solar, battery storage and related clean energy infrastructure, warning that delays could jeopardize the city’s climate commitments and increase long-term costs.

Several speakers urged officials to move beyond planning and into implementation, particularly on projects tied to Pasadena Water and Power, which represents the largest share of the capital plan and is central to the city’s transition away from fossil fuels.

PWP’s CIP accounts for roughly two-thirds of total planned spending over the five-year period. The utility’s capital plan focuses on maintaining and modernizing both electric and water systems, with major investments tied to reliability, infrastructure replacement and the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Projects include upgrades to aging electrical infrastructure, expansion of undergrounding efforts, improvements to water delivery systems and continued investment in system resiliency.

A significant portion of PWP’s capital planning is also tied to Pasadena’s commitment to achieving 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030.

That includes potential investments in local solar generation, battery storage and grid modernization to support a cleaner energy portfolio.

Public comment highlighted growing concern that the city is not moving quickly enough to meet its goal of achieving 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030.

One resident urged the city to prioritize key clean energy infrastructure, including solar and battery storage, as part of that transition.

“I urge you to fund… 20 megawatts of local municipal solar and 75 megawatts of battery storage,” said Diane Morgan, a Pasadena resident.

However, much of that work remains partially or fully unfunded, highlighting the financial challenges of meeting the city’s climate targets while maintaining affordability and reliability. The discussion underscored the need to balance immediate infrastructure needs with long-term environmental goals, as officials weigh how quickly to move forward on large-scale energy projects within existing fiscal constraints.

The proposed Capital Improvement Program includes 228 projects with a total estimated cost exceeding $3.2 billion, with roughly half of that currently unfunded. City staff have recommended allocating about $247 million in the coming fiscal year.

Officials acknowledged that the scale of the plan requires difficult trade-offs, with some projects delayed or unfunded due to limited resources.

Acting City Manager Matt Hawksworth said departments have been directed to reassess priorities and identify opportunities to reallocate funds, including shifting money from lower-priority or completed projects to more urgent needs such as infrastructure improvements and system reliability.

Mayor Victor Gordo stressed that the prioritization process is conducted publicly and in coordination with city boards and commissions, while also acknowledging the council’s role in scrutinizing staff recommendations.

City officials are expected to continue reviewing the capital plan in the coming weeks, with adoption scheduled for early May.