San Francisco committee advances resolution supporting city efforts to acquire PG&E assets

The Land Use and Transportation Committee advanced a resolution on March 9 endorsing the City and County of San Franciscos continued efforts to acquire Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) assets needed to deliver electric distribution and transmission service within the city.

Chair Aaron Peskin said the resolution recalls the citys long history of municipal utility service and reiterates priorities including financial stability, worker protections, community safety, climate mitigation, affordability and operational reliability. "This is a resolutionaffirming the city's support for the acquisition of PG and E assets, in the city and county of San Francisco, contingent on certain conditions," Peskin said.

Peskin noted related steps already taken: a mayoral letter asking the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to analyze options, a $2,500,000,000 indication of interest to PG&E and the committees conditional approval two months earlier of "Resolution thirty-twenty," which authorized issuance of over $3,000,000,000 in revenue bonds for a potential acquisition.

The chair also said the PUC is scheduled to consider a substantially similar resolution at a joint closed session with the Board of Supervisors. Barbara Hale of the PUC was present and staff remained available to answer questions, Peskin added.

After a brief opportunity for public comment produced no speakers, Supervisor Asha Safaei moved to forward the resolution to the full Board of Supervisors as a committee report. With no objection, the committee agreed to send the item forward.

Next steps: the item will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda for further consideration and any subsequent votes.