PUC endorses updated electricity resource plan, asks staff for financing and implementation details

Assistant General Manager Barbara Hale presented the updated electricity resource plan, an update to the commission’s 2002 resource strategy. The plan focuses on three broad strategies: empowering residents and businesses to reduce energy use, increasing zero–greenhouse-gas wholesale supply to city customers and ensuring reliable service from the PUC’s own supply.

Hale told commissioners the PUC directly supplies roughly 17 percent of electricity consumed within city limits and that the plan relies on several tools including Clean Power SF (community choice aggregation) and behind-the-meter measures. The plan incorporates public input, a Rocky Mountain Institute report, and advice from advisory committees and a power plant task force.

Commissioners discussed implementation financing and requested that staff add a concise financing/implementation section. Commissioner Moran urged that the report include a clear programming of funds; commissioners removed specific dollar amounts in the executive summary and added a directive for the general manager to return with environmental assessments, operational implementation steps and a financing approach. The motion to endorse the goals, objectives and strategies carried on a roll-call voice vote.

Public commenters, including representatives of the San Francisco Green Party and community groups, praised public outreach and urged stronger emphasis and expertise on community choice aggregation (CCA) in the implementation phase. Several speakers urged attention to equity and community benefits in implementation.

The commission directed staff to present the final plan to the Board of Supervisors and to return to the commission with a more detailed implementation budget, financing options and environmental assessments as program recommendations are developed.