The new power procurement contracts will help ensure electricity reliability during time of power uncertainty in California
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)’s clean energy program, CleanPowerSF, executed two new renewable energy contracts that will increase energy capacity and storage infrastructure for the system, ensuring more electricity reliability for the program’s 380,000 customers in San Francisco.
“At a time when the state is experiencing rolling blackouts and other power uncertainties, ensuring grid reliability for our customers is paramount for the agency,” said SFPUC General Manager, Harlan L. Kelly Jr. “Through the approval of these new contracts, we are taking an important step to ensure we continue providing clean, safe, and affordable energy to our customers no matter the time of day.”
CleanPowerSF’s investment in the two contracts—with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources and EDF Renewables, respectively—will allow for the construction or expansion of solar power plants in California to provide 20 megawatts of new solar energy with 60 megawatt hours of energy storage and 200 new megawatt hours of energy storage to be added to a previously signed contract for 100 megawatts of solar for the CleanPowerSF program.
The two new contracts will also add the first projects to include solar plus battery storage to CleanPowerSF’s energy portfolio, helping to ensure electricity reliability for its customers. Excess energy produced during the day when solar power is readily available can be stored in batteries and used in evening hours or at night when energy demand is high and solar production is low.
Crow Creek Energy Center, a solar photovoltaic power plant developed by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources in Stanislaus County, will provide 20 megawatts of power and 60 megawatt hours of battery storage capacity to CleanPowerSF. The project is expected to create between 40 and 60 full time jobs during construction. As part of their contract with CleanPowerSF, NextEra Energy Resources also committed to providing $100,000 in community benefits over the first five years of the contract.
"We are pleased to work with our partners at CleanPowerSF to bring additional low-cost, renewable energy to customers and economic growth to California," said Matt Handel, senior vice president of development for NextEra Energy Resources. "This solar plus storage project will allow CleanPowerSF customers to benefit from emission-free solar energy during more hours of the day, as well as improved reliability across the regional electric grid."
Maverick 6 Solar Project, a photovoltaic power plant developed by EDF Renewables in Riverside county, will provide 100 megawatts of solar energy to CleanPowerSF under a power purchase agreement (PPA) announced in December 2019. This new contract will expand the solar project to include 200 megawatt hours of battery storage. The project is expected to begin operations in December 2021 and will account for roughly 12 percent of CleanPowerSF’s renewable energy supply. The construction and operation of Maverick 6 will create between 150 and 200 full-time jobs.
“EDF Renewables is pleased to partner again with CleanPowerSF to expand upon our solar PPA to include battery storage at Maverick 6,” said Dai Owen, Vice President of Origination and Power Marketing at EDF Renewables. “Battery storage is increasingly becoming essential to enable further deployment of renewables as well as to provide grid stability. This 200 MWh increases EDF Renewables’ contracted battery portfolio to 1.5 GWh to be constructed by 2023 in the US.”
In addition to Crow Creek Energy Center and Maverick 6, CleanPowerSF has invested in four other large solar and wind energy projects in California since 2018. The program has consistently delivered on its promise to reinvest ratepayer dollars and create jobs through renewable energy development.
CleanPowerSF launched in 2016 with a mission to provide San Francisco residents and businesses with clean, renewable electricity at competitive rates. Following the largest and last enrollment period in April of this year, CleanPowerSF now serves about 380,000 customer accounts in San Francisco.
Along with CleanPowerSF, the SFPUC operates Hetch Hetchy Power, which provides 100 percent greenhouse gas-free energy to public facilities such as City Hall, schools and libraries, some private commercial developments, and affordable housing. Collectively, the two systems meet over 70 percent of the electricity demand in San Francisco.