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SFPUC approves $7 million amendment for transmission pipelines and $2.8 million to Hetch Hetchy electrical services amid penstock, bypass planning
Summary
The commission approved Amendment 1 to PRO-0168A adding $7 million for transmission pipeline planning with AECOM and approved Amendment 1 to PRO-0182 adding $2.8 million for electrical engineering for Moccasin powerhouse and switchyard work; staff said the capital plan for affected projects rose from about $299 million to $670 million after condition assessments.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission voted to increase contract authority for two AECOM agreements supporting Hetch Hetchy and transmission pipeline work.
Tedman Lee, SFPUC staff presenting Amendment 1 to PRO-0168A, said the contract pool supports specialized engineering—geotechnical, surveying, seismic and trenchless design—across multiple transmission pipeline projects. "We're asking for an additional $7,000,000 with no additional time to continue planning and engineering design," Lee said, citing work on San Joaquin pipeline isolation valves, a Tesla portal shaft, a Moccasin powerhouse bypass and penstock rehabilitation. He told commissioners the original capital plan for the listed projects was approximately $299,400,000 and that the current capital plan shows about $670,300,000 after condition assessments revealed the need for replacements rather than rehabilitations in some cases.
Lee described the San Joaquin pipeline effort as adding isolation valves along a roughly 50-mile alignment to provide safe entry for maintenance; he said the Moccasin powerhouse bypass project is nearly at 95% design and is needed so the powerhouse can be taken out of service for maintenance without stopping water deliveries. On the penstocks, Lee said condition assessments indicated replacement may be required, which increased estimates for that work.
Separately, Kai Wu, electrical engineering manager, requested Amendment 1 to PRO-0182—an increase of $2,800,000 and a one-year extension—to continue providing electrical engineering design and support for Moccasin powerhouse rehabilitation and switchyard projects. Wu told commissioners the bypass project reduces the need for large shutdowns and will save substantial costs for future construction.
Why it matters: staff said condition assessments led to significant upward revisions in construction budgets and that the $7 million engineering amendment is intended to refine alternatives, complete geotechnical work and narrow cost estimates before final design. Commissioners asked whether proceeding with the powerhouse bypass now would require downstream changes if a penstock tunnel or different alignment is chosen; staff said the bypass is far enough along and is sequenced to avoid holding other critical work.
Outcome: both amendments were moved, seconded and approved unanimously.
