SFPUC Approves Financing Plan, Water Assessments, and Power Contract on July 22, 2025
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Meeting Summary - July 22, 2025
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) held a regular meeting on July 22, 2025. The agenda included routine approvals, the annual capital financing plan report, two water supply assessments for housing developments, a major amendment to a power scheduling contract, and a solar project agreement with the school district. All action items passed unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes from the July 8, 2025, meeting.
- Approved the consent calendar, which included contracts for environmental consulting services (with discussion on Local Business Enterprise (LBE) participation goals) and sidewalk restoration work.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public provided comments on any agenda item.
Discussion Items
- Annual Capital Financing Plan: Assistant General Manager Nikolai Skloroff presented an informational report on the SFPUC's debt portfolio and financing plans for the fiscal year. Key points included approximately $10.7 billion in outstanding debt, plans for a wastewater bond transaction in the spring, management of ratings from agencies like S&P (which has a negative outlook on wastewater and power), and a commitment to continue green bond reporting.
- Water Supply Assessments: AGM Steve Ritchie presented assessments for two housing projects (Freedom West 2.0 and One Oak Street) as required for the CEQA process. He clarified that the commission's role was to pass the assessments to the Planning Department, not to approve the projects themselves. Discussion centered on the low per-unit water use of new developments due to modern plumbing codes and on-site reuse requirements.
- Power Scheduling Contract Amendment: Staff presented a request to approve Amendment #3 to the contract with APX Inc. for power scheduling coordination services. The amendment increases the not-to-exceed amount by $3.1 million for professional services and $363 million for pass-through charges from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), and extends the contract for three years. Staff explained the need for the amendment due to volatile energy market costs and stated the extension would allow the SFPUC to build internal expertise to eventually attract a more competitive bidder pool for this service.
- Solar Project Agreement with SFUSD: Staff requested approval for a funding and licensing agreement with the San Francisco Unified School District to construct, own, and maintain a solar photovoltaic system at the new Mission Bay Elementary School.
Key Outcomes
- Item 3: Minutes Approval: Approved unanimously (5-0).
- Item 6: Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (5-0).
- Item 7: Water Supply Assessment for Freedom West 2.0: Approved unanimously (5-0).
- Item 8: Water Supply Assessment for One Oak Street: Commissioner Thurlow disclosed a professional relationship with a principal at the developer, Emerald Fund. The item was approved unanimously (5-0).
- Item 9: Power Scheduling Contract Amendment with APX: Approved unanimously (5-0).
- Item 10: Solar Agreement with SFUSD: Commissioner Arce recused himself due to his spouse's position on the SF Board of Education. The item was approved unanimously by the remaining commissioners (4-0).
Meeting Transcript
Please. President Stacy. Here. Vice President Arce. Here. Commissioner Jamzar. Here. Commissioner Leveroni. Here. Commissioner Thurlow. You have a quorum. Thank you. Before calling the first item, I'd like to announce that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission acknowledges that it owns and are stewards of the unceded lands located within the ethnohistoric territory of the Mawekma Loney tribe and other familial descendants of the historic federally recognized Mission San Jose Verona Band of Alameda County. The SFPUC also recognizes that every citizen residing within the Greater Bay Area has and continues to benefit from the use and occupation of the Mawekma Alonee tribe's aboriginal lands since before and after the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's founding in 1932. It is vitally important that we not only recognize the history of the tribal lands on which we reside, but also that we acknowledge and honor the fact that the Mawekma Loney people have established a working partnership with the SFPUC and are productive and flourishing members within the many greater San Francisco Bay Area communities today. Item three, approval of the minutes of July 8th, 2025. Commissioners, are there any corrections or comments on the minutes? Seeing none, let's take public comment. Remote callers, please raise your hand if you wish to provide comment on item three. Are there any members of the public present who wish to comment on this item? Seeing none, moderator, are there any callers who have their hand raised? Ms. Lanier, there are no callers in the queue. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioners, could I have a motion and a second to approve the minutes? Motion to approve the minutes. The last meeting. Second. Thank you. President Stacy. Aye. Vice President Arce? Aye. Commissioner Jamdar. Aye. Commissioner Leveroni. Aye. Commissioner Thurlow. Aye. The item passes. Thank you. Before calling general public comment, I just want to acknowledge Ms. Lanier today. It is your first anniversary today or sometime this week since joining the SFPUC. And I just wanted to say thank you for your service. How glad I am that you're here and how well you've served the commission with always thinking about how to improve and streamline our procedures. So thank you. And I'm glad you're here. Item four, general public comment.
openpublica.com