PUC updates: advanced-meter pilot, GoSolar SF metrics, bond sale and contract approvals

In addition to presentations and the Candlestick project discussion, the commission received a set of operational and fiscal updates and approved several construction and grant items.

Advanced meter pilot and AMI financing: Staff described the pilot of the advanced meter infrastructure program (first 5,000 meters; installations began with testing of 10% of that pilot group; manual reads to continue before meters are used for billing) and noted a tax-exempt bond sale component intended to fund AMI installations. Todd Reitstrom reported the recent wastewater bond sale of $239,565,000, including Build America Bonds and tax-exempt tranches, and estimated roughly $88,000,000 in lifetime savings for ratepayers from favorable borrowing rates.

GoSolar SF update: Barbara Hale presented program performance: $10,000,000 program budget, 1,172 applications, $9.8M reserved, $6.9M paid (about 69% of requested funding paid), ~4.3 MW of installed solar driven by the program and 40 green jobs reported. Legislative changes now require workforce-development installer participation for incentivized systems, with exceptions for nonprofits and small local installers; staff proposed adding $5,000,000 to the program for FY10–11 with $2,000,000 targeted for low-income households.

Votes and contracts: The commission approved consent calendar items A–C by single vote, then moved multiple major items in regular business: authorization to request Board of Supervisors permission to expend an EPA grant ($477,900) for Cesar Chavez Sewer System Improvements (with matching funds required), approval to convey property parcels along State Highway 84 to Caltrans, award of the New Irvington Tunnel contract to the Southland/Tutor Perini joint venture (winning bid reported in the staff exchange at approximately $226M and protests reviewed by staff and city counsel), selection of Black & Veatch for Calaveras Dam construction management services (not-to-exceed $38,000,000), and an amendment to the Alameda Siphon engineering agreement increasing the total by $7,037,566.

During contract items, staff recounted bid protest reviews and explained unusual on-site conditions (undocumented footings, differing subsurface conditions) that required expedited engineering support and additional construction-management attention. Commissioners approved the items after discussion and public comment where present.

Next steps: staff will return as needed with additional contract-level reporting, coordinate AMI financing and installation steps, and bring future program budget actions to the commission and the Board of Supervisors as required.