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Committee amends and advances SFPUC emergency resolution to repair Kirkwood powerhouse bypass
Summary
The committee approved an SFPUC emergency declaration to repair a failed valve in the Kirkwood powerhouse bypass, amending the estimated cost to approximately $590,000 (from $700,000) and forwarding the emergency contract (including a $206,000 contract with Oakland Machine Works) with a positive recommendation.
The Budget & Finance Committee advanced a Public Utilities Commission emergency resolution on Jan. 11 to repair the Kirkwood Powerhouse bypass system after inspection found failure of a large stainless-steel valve.
Steve Ritchie, assistant general manager (water/power) for the SFPUC, said the bypass is critical to maintain water delivery when generating units are out of service. The department declared an emergency in November to order a replacement valve and perform repairs during a scheduled system shutdown; Ritchie said one vendor (Oakland Machine Works) had the capacity to manufacture the valve and perform the work urgently.
The committee’s budget analyst identified a discrepancy in the proposed resolution’s estimated cost: the analyst recommended amending the resolution to state the emergency work would cost approximately $590,000 rather than $700,000, noting the contract to manufacture the valve with Oakland Machine Works is about $206,000 and the budget totals $590,000. The committee approved the amended resolution and moved the item forward with a positive recommendation.
SFPUC staff said they conducted outreach to five potential bidders to verify capacity and selected a vendor that had previously done work for Hetch Hetchy.
