Board approves peaker turbine plan as amended to secure closure of Potrero/Merritt plant

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 on Oct. 30 to adopt a resolution supporting the construction and description of a transaction to place four combustion turbine (CT) peaker units into operation in the city, a policy the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and sponsors said is intended to enable the eventual closure of the aging Potrero (Merritt) power plant.

The board’s action followed several hours of public testimony and member debate on whether the city should site new fossil‑fuel peakers when transmission upgrades and state climate policies are underway. Supervisor Aaron Peskin called the vote after the board adopted two amendments that instruct the SFPUC to (1) secure closure of the Merritt plant as a condition tied to issuance of operating permits for the CTs and (2) require a controlled operating regimen that reduces CT use as city renewable generation becomes available.

The amendments were offered by Supervisor Mark Mercarini and seconded by Supervisor Chris Ammiano and were taken up and approved before the final vote. A separate motion to delay action one week, to await a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) meeting, failed on the roll call.

Why it matters: The Potrero/Merritt plant discharges heated cooling water into San Francisco Bay and has been a focus of neighborhood health and environmental concerns.…