By: Melissa Butler

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Listen to an audio story by Annenberg Radio News:

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Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel unveiled an audit that revealed how the Department of Water and Power met its goal of 20 percent renewable energy. Yet, Greuel, who headed the audit, says her team believes this had little to do with the DWP’s efforts.

“My audit reveals, for example, that the DWP reached its first milestone as a result of higher than expected wind and hydro performance, abnormally cool temperatures and sometimes things beyond the DWP’s influence or control.”

Ron Nickels is the DWP General manager. He used a basketball metaphor to claim his team still won.

“I feel that we just won the division championship last year from the department’s perspective by hitting our 20 percent last year. And we have an audit here that kind of effectively says, well, we kind of think you stole the championship. Maybe you made that half court shot at buzzer. Think maybe you might have committed a foul that you didn’t get caught on. And you won. And maybe you didn’t quite earn it. Well, I kind of beg to differ. We did win that division championship and a win is a win. We won fair and square.”

According to the audit, DWP would have fallen short of its goal by nearly 2 percent, if temperatures were at expected levels. In the future, it’s possible that the DWP will have to meet an even higher percentage of renewable energy.

“Sitting on the governor’s desk today is a piece of legislation that would make it very clear that it would be a requirement for all utilities, including the department of water and power, that we would have to meet 33 percent by 2020,” Nickels said.

But DWP doesn’t have the funding to reach this goal just yet.

“That I think is the most important discussion; it’s the main point we make in the audit that there isn’t a corresponding financial plan,” Greuel said.

Yet, a financial plan will be made, because she is in full support of the 33 percent renewable energy goal.

These goals are quite admirable and lottable. Renewable energy is more than a worthwhile investment; it’s an essential one,” Greuel said.

But the push to meet an even higher green energy standard still depends on passing legislation and finding funding.