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Clean Power SF polling shows modest retention; SFPUC prepares phased rollout as PG&E files green-pricing proposal
Summary
SFPUC and LAFCO heard results from a 3,500+ respondent poll showing roughly 37% of San Francisco households would remain with Clean Power SF; staff said the department will use precinct-level models to phase enrollment and expects a proposed Shell contract and appropriation to reach the SFPUC board in May. Public commenters urged local-build components and competitive pricing.
Dave Metz, a pollster at FM3, told the Local Agency Formation Commission on April 27 that a city survey of more than 3,500 residents showed about 37% of respondents "said that they would stay with Clean Power SF." The polling team presented a precinct-level model that maps projected retention and opt-out likelihood to help the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) phase initial enrollment.
Barbara Hale, assistant general manager of the SFPUC, said the department expects consideration of a proposed power contract and a supplemental appropriation at the SFPUC board in May and is using the polling and modeling to select precincts that match planned supply. "Our proposed contract with Shell that's before the board would have us purchasing between 20 and 30 megawatts of power," she said while describing the need to match enrollment to that supply level.
Hale and SFPUC staff also discussed a filing by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) at the California Public Utilities Commission that would offer customers optional green-pricing blocks. "PG&E's program is a certificates-of-renewable-energy certificates program," Hale said, distinguishing Clean Power SF as an offering that would include bundled renewable energy in part of the 100 percent renewable portfolio.
SFPUC staff cautioned the commission that timing for board hearings could shift: May 10 was targeted for an initial government-audits hearing but may slip as staff works with the city controller's office on its economist report and as stakeholder scheduling conflicts arise. An SFPUC representative also said the department is selecting a marketing consultant and holding monthly stakeholder meetings in preparation for rollout.
Public commenters representing the San Francisco Green Party and local advocates urged an aggressive local build-out and ownership models to keep opt-outs low and to create jobs. "We're gonna offer something that's gonna create a green new deal in San Francisco that's gonna put thousands of people to work building real local renewable energy and efficiency," said Eric Brooks of the San Francisco Green Party.
Next steps: SFPUC staff said they will share numerical precinct scores and demographic cross-tabs with commissioners, continue work with the city controller's office, and bring the Shell contract and appropriation to the board for consideration. The commission approved one-year administrative extensions and an MOU related to CCA later in the meeting.
