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Board okays Clean Power SF contract package with amendments after PUC commits to advance notice for retroactive deals
Summary
The Board approved a package of Clean Power SF contracts with Calpine Energy Services, including one retroactive approval, after the acting SFPUC general manager pledged new transparency and the board added amendments requiring advance notice when retroactive approvals might be needed.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution Dec. 15 authorizing a set of contracts for Clean Power SF (a San Francisco Public Utilities Commission program) with Calpine Energy Services LP for renewable energy and resource adequacy products, including a retroactive contract approval. The board adopted amendments that require the PUC to give advance notice to the Board of Supervisors and the Public Utilities Commission when the SFPUC believes it may need retroactive approval for power‑supply contracts.
Acting SFPUC General Manager Michael Carlin told the body the authority pursued the retroactive approvals only in limited circumstances — particularly to meet state resource adequacy deadlines announced by the California Public Utilities Commission — and committed to a formal PUC policy in January to notify the board when retroactive approvals might be necessary. Carlin also proposed a specific amendment requiring the SFPUC to explain and justify any failure to provide advance notice in the retroactive approval resolution and to make that justification available to the board.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin and others pressed for transparency and added an amendment to explicitly include the Public Utilities Commission in the advance‑notice obligation. The board approved the resolution as amended in roll call votes.
The package included multiple contract actions: amendments and extensions with Calpine for renewable energy and resource adequacy, and a new agreement for energy products through 2029. The SFPUC emphasized it only brings retroactive approvals when regulatory timing would otherwise leave San Francisco exposed to financial or reliability risks.
Supervisors said they will watch for the formal SFPUC policy and will expect advance communication on any future retroactive approvals.
Public comment during the agenda item focused on process, transparency and the need to strengthen oversight; the board’s amendments reflect that focus.
