The California Energy Commission (CEC) Power Content Label (PCL) and the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirement are both tools that inform and drive clean energy usage in California. However, they differ in purpose, scope, and how they assess energy sources for utilities, including municipal utilities.

PCL Reporting: The Power Content Label shows the energy sources used to meet demand and it is designed to give consumers a transparent view of the actual energy mix that a utility provides over a specific reporting year. It breaks down sources by category.

RPS Compliance: The RPS, in contrast, is a regulatory mandate requiring a specified percentage of a utility's electricity to come from renewable resources. RPS focuses specifically on renewable resources that qualify under California law (e.g., solar, wind, biomass). RPS compliance also allows for “banking” credits or using renewable energy certificates (RECs) to meet targets. Therefore the renewable percentage on the PCL can be different from the RPS-compliant percentage, as the PCL is based on the utility’s actual power mix that reaches customers.