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Mayor opposes Clean Power SF inclusion in Climate Action Strategy, cites PUC priorities and major PUC repair costs
Summary
During mayoral question time, Mayor Lee said Clean Power SF is not suitable for San Francisco as presented and said the Public Utilities Commission must prioritize major infrastructure repairs, including an estimated $628 million mountain tunnel repair, before taking on new power programs.
Supervisor John Avalos asked Mayor Lee to reinstate Clean Power SF in the city’s Climate Action Strategy and to commit to launching the citywide clean‑energy program this year. Mayor Lee said he could not approve Clean Power SF "because Clean Power SF is still not good for San Francisco," citing concerns that the program would contract with an out‑of‑state fossil fuel company, could raise rates for ratepayers, and would not create sufficient local jobs.
Mayor Lee framed the Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) responsibilities as protecting ratepayers, supplying clean drinking water to 2.6 million Bay Area customers, collecting and treating wastewater, and delivering municipal power. He described urgent infrastructure needs within the power enterprise: a mountain tunnel that carries water to a powerhouse needs critical repairs with an approximate cost of $628,000,000, and new regulatory and distribution costs could add roughly $50,000,000 per year.
Why it matters: The exchange links two policy priorities—local clean energy procurement and water/power system reliability—and shows the mayor prioritizing PUC infrastructure repairs in the near term. A decision about Clean Power SF affects the city’s greenhouse gas reduction strategy and local energy jobs; the PUC repair costs affect ratepayer budgets and the PUC’s ability to pursue new programs.
Direct quotes from the transcript - Supervisor Avalos: urged reinstatement of Clean Power SF and asked the mayor to “commit to launch Clean Power SF this year.” - Mayor Lee: “I cannot grant your wish because Clean Power SF is still not good for San Francisco.” He added that the PUC “is protecting rate payers and focusing on their core mission.” - Mayor Lee: “Our PUC has learned that [the] mountain tunnel ... needs critical repairs costing approximately $628,000,000.”
Context Mayor Lee praised the Climate Action Strategy’s overall work and cited city gains—greenhouse gas emissions were down 14.4% from 1990 levels in 2010—and emphasized energy efficiency as a priority. He described a directive to encourage departments to prioritize affordable housing and to incentivize developers to exceed affordability requirements, but told the board that major PUC infrastructure and drought‑related water issues must be handled first.
No formal vote or new ordinance was recorded on Clean Power SF; the transcript records the mayor’s objections and his direction to prioritize PUC repairs and ratepayer protections.
