MINUTES
of the
POTRERO POWER PLANT CITIZENS ADVISORY TASK FORCE
Thursday, February 22, 2001
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 82
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by Chair Philip DeAndrade at 4:10 p.m.
Present: Sarah Ames Philip DeAndrade
Greg Asay (Supv. Maxwell) Babette Drefke
Robert Boileau Jim Firth
John Borg Lawrence Klein
Joe Boss Richard Millet
Angela Calvillo (Supv. Ammiano)
Absent:
Richard Lee
Francesca Vietor (Mayor)
Claude Wilson
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes were approved as written.
Potrero Power Plant
Minutes
February 22, 2001
3. TASK FORCE REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
As a result of the report, the Board passed a resolution increasing the number of task force members by one to include Supervisor Sophie Maxwell. Her aide, Greg Asay will be attending the meetings. In addition, the Legislative Analyst’s office assigned Elaine Forbes to attend the Task Force meetings.
4. REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
Legislative Analyst Elaine Forbes explained that her office provides research and analysis for the Board on policy matters. At the Board meeting on February 12, Supervisor Ammiano moved that the Legislative Analyst Office give continued assistance to the Task Force. Ms. Forbes was assigned to attend the meetings.
Her report provides background information about San Francisco’s energy consumption; it also reviews the California Energy Commission permitting process and presents an overview of opportunities for community involvement. It explains power plant siting and related mitigation packages in two other cities, Morro Bay and Pittsburg, CA.
Communities all over the state are seeking to balance energy production needs with environmental and community concerns. In 1999, San Francisco consumed 5,270 gigawatts of energy and the county’s peak demand was 920 megawatts. Commercial usage was at 66%. On the supply side, there are three power plants in SF: Potrero, Hunters Point and a small plant at the University of San Francisco. Combined, they can produce 793 megawatts. HP is operating at about 50% since Units 2 and 3 are not being used.
SF also has 732 megawatts that are pulled off of the grid from overhead power lines and underground cables. If Hunters Point is taken off-line, SF will have 1,091 megawatts. The ISO forecasts that SF will need 1007 megawatts this year. In the CEC licensing process, generation needs are not analyzed but assumed.
Ms. Forbes explained the licensing process. The CEC returns permitting authority to the locality, but it preempts local authority in a dispute. More than likely, the CEC will work out an agreement with the locality.
Potrero Power Plant
Minutes
February 22, 2001
Ms. Forbes also explained the mitigations provided to two other communities. Her findings indicate that neighborhood residents have a number of options to participate in the licensing process; residents can shape plant design and benefits for local communities and cities have leverage with power companies to negotiate mitigation packages despite the preemption issue.
5. PLANNING FOR THE MARCH 15TH COMMUNITY MEETING
Mr. DeAndrade has reserved the meeting room in the Potrero Hill Neighborhood Center. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Borg stated that feedback from the community would be most important. Mr. Boss suggested that the meeting should break down into groups led by Task Force members. Ms. Drefke said the Task Force should face audience and take questions. Mr. DeAndrade suggested that the purpose is to make a presentation to the community and then to hear the community’s concerns. Mr. Boileau said that the Task Force should give a synopsis of the project’s scope.
At 5:45 p.m., the Task Force lost its quorum and the meeting could not continue.
