San Francisco Does its Due Diligence in Fight for Public Power

The City of San Francisco continues to move forward with its efforts to purchase the local electric grid and expand its public power service. The most recent action is public review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) related to the proposed acquisition of PG&E’s local grid infrastructure. 

PG&E Continues to Obstruct San Francisco Public Power

As previously detailed, PG&E has taken an aggressive approach in obstructing San Francisco’s existing public power –– imposing millions, or even billions, of dollars in potential costs on the City by requiring expensive and unnecessary equipment to deliver public power, targeting City-owned infrastructure like streetlights, traffic signals, shotspotters, Muni stops, and more.

Through the power generated by the Hetch Hetchy System and provided by CleanPowerSF, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) already provides more than 70% of the electricity used in the City. Public power through full ownership of the power grid will bring additional benefits to consumers, the environment, and to public services that already rely on San Francisco’s existing public power.

San Francisco Continues Fight for Public Power

In July 2021, after PG&E refused to accept or engage with the City in response to its well-researched offer, the City filed a petition asking the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to assess the value of the local grid. PG&E asked the CPUC to dismiss the City’s petition, and the City opposed this request. The CPUC has not yet ruled on this motion or set a schedule for the case.

Now, the City is initiating a public environmental review under CEQA. The CEQA document will assess the reasonably foreseeable physical impacts of the proposed acquisition on the environment. This review will include assessing impacts associated with new equipment that would be needed at existing electric power facilities as well as other components needed to ensure the separation of City and PG&E infrastructure near the City’s southern border.

Questions About Public Power?

The City is diligently moving forward with expanding its public power role by purchasing the electric grid. Read this Q&A on the acquisition process to learn more about what the City has done so far –– and what’s next.