SFPUC approves contingency and schedule increases for multiple wastewater projects

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Oct. 28 approved contingency increases and schedule extensions for several wastewater infrastructure projects, citing new PG&E requirements, equipment replacement and efforts to better utilize on-site biogas.

Staff presented four action items that the Commission approved by roll-call vote. Roland Sun, project manager for contract WW662R (Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant power feed and primary switchgear upgrades), asked the Commission to approve an additional $1,500,000 to the cost contingency and an additional 360 calendar days to the duration contingency to accommodate a new PG&E-required "interrupter" mechanism, a revised design and short-circuit coordination testing. Sun said construction was about 90% complete and the plant was operating on Hetch Hetchy power with PG&E on standby.

Brian Carlemano, senior project manager, presented item 8 (contract WWDASH639, Oceanside Digester Gas Utilization Upgrades) and requested an $8,000,000 increase in cost contingency and an additional 638 calendar days to the construction duration contingency to install electrical infrastructure required to meet PG&E wholesale distribution tariff requirements. Carlemano said Oceanside produces about 400,000 cubic feet of biogas per day and that boilers were currently using PG&E natural gas at roughly $40,000 per month; the upgrades are intended to enable full utilization of on-site biogas and reduce PG&E gas costs. Staff noted a correction to the published materials: the original contract duration in a whereas clause had been printed incorrectly; staff said the original duration should read 820 consecutive days and that, after previously approved modifications and the requested 638 additional days, the total contract duration would reach 3,231 consecutive calendar days.

Commissioners pressed staff for clarification about the PG&E requirements and whether the safety device and tariff-driven work were truly contingent on retaining a PG&E standby feed; Barbara Hale, assistant general manager for power, explained the tariff change and that the project will be reflected in the Commission's next quarterly report in January.

Other approved items included an increase of 602 calendar days to the duration contingency for contract WW-655R (Westside Reliability Improvements, Anvil Builders) to complete electrical, civil and mechanical work, and acceptance of work under contract WW685R (North Shore Pump Station wet-weather improvements) with modification number 19 (increase of 249 calendar days) and authorization of final payment to the contractor. Commissioners voted aye on each item (President Arce, Commissioners Jamdar, Stacy and Thurlow; Vice President Leverone was absent for votes).

Votes at a glance: • Item 7 (WW-662R, Southeast Plant switchgear): motion approved (Ayes: Arce, Jamdar, Stacy, Thurlow). • Item 8 (WWDASH639, Oceanside digester gas upgrades): motion approved after corrected resolution (Ayes: Arce, Jamdar, Stacy, Thurlow). • Item 9 (WW-655R, Westside Reliability / Anvil Builders): motion approved (Ayes: Arce, Jamdar, Stacy, Thurlow). • Item 10 (WW685R, North Shore Pump Station): acceptance and final payment authorized (Ayes: Arce, Jamdar, Stacy, Thurlow).

The approvals reflect a mix of equipment replacement, tariff-driven infrastructure work and sequencing constraints that staff said require sequential installations while plants remain operational. The Commission also scheduled a quarterly report in January that will include related project histories and tariff impacts.