DEPARTMENT
Wastewater Enterprise
AGENDA NO.
6d
MEETING DATE
May 27, 2025
AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
Calendar: Consent Calendar
Contract Manager: Joel Prather
Approve and Adopt General Manager’s Findings for Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives and Authorize Designation of Product to Match Other Products in Use Consistent with Public Contract Code 3400(c)(2)
Summary of Proposed
Commission Action:
Approve and adopt the General Manager’s finding that ABB Medium Voltage Variable-Frequency Drives product is necessary to match existing products used at S an Francisco Public U tilities Commission Wastewater Enterprise facilities; and authorize the General Manager to prescribe ABB Medium Voltage Variable -Frequency Drives for Contract No. WW -767, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Booster Station Interim Improvements, contract documents in conformance with San Francisco Administrative Code Section 6.73(e)(1) and Public Contract Code Section 3400(c). This action constitutes the Approval Action for the Project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code section 31.04(h). The Planning Department has determined that the Project is exempt from the CEQA. The Commission will rely on that determinatio n to make its decision on this action.
Background: Variable-Frequency Drives (VFDs) are critical pieces of electrical infrastructure that provide speed and torque control to motors for all types of mechanical equipment ( pumps, fans, compressors, etc.) at the treatment and pumping facilities owned and operated by the
San Francisco Public
Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) Wastewater Enterprise.
Most critically, medium-voltage (MV) VFDs (4160 volts) control many of the main lift pumps (700 to 1500 horsepower motors ) utilized at the treatment facilities throughout the City to pump raw sewage out of the collection system and place it into the treatment process. Without these, the water stored in the collection system would not be able to be treated and safely discharged to the bay, as required by the SFPUC’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
The SFPUC operates the following three main pump stations and associated main lift pumps that require MV VFDs:
• Channel Pump Station
o Lift Pumps 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Agenda Title: General Manager’s Findings for Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives and Authorize Designation of Product to Match Other Products in Use
Commission Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
• North Shore Pump Station
o Wet Weather Lift Pumps 1, 2
• Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) 550 Booster Station o Lift Pumps 1, 2, 3, 4
The SFPUC W astewater Enterprise recently upgraded Channel Pump Station and North Shore Pump Station with ABB Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives.
Construction Contract No. WW-767, SEP Booster Station Interim Improvements, involves critical process rehabilitation to the Booster Station that pumps/conveys up to 110 million gallons per day during wet weather operation. Under this contract, four lift pumps will be rehabilitated, and the associated four VFDs will be replaced. The operations of these four pumps are critical to maintain compliance with the NPDES permit requirements.
On April 11, 2025, the SFPUC General Manager approved and adopted staff’s Justification Memorandum, finding that the specification of ABB Medium Voltage Variable-Frequency Drives for Contract No. WW -767 is necessary to match existing products used at SFPUC Wastewater Enterprise facilities.
Summary of Specified
Equipment:
ABB ACS-2000 Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives
Evaluation and
Selection Criteria:
Evaluation and selection criteria for ABB Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives is in the attached memorandum.
Environmental
Review:
On May 12, 2025 the San Francisco Planning Department determined the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Booster Station Interim Improvements Project to be categorically exempt from environmental review under the CEQA Guidelines section 15301, Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and CEQA Guidelines section 15302, Class 2 (Replacement and Reconstruction) under Case No. 2024-
005163ENV. The exemption
determination can be found here:
https://sfpuc.sharefile.com/public/share/web-
sbc784468d74c442bbcfc618beb048b4c
This action constitutes the Approval Action for the Project for the purposes of the CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code section
31.04(h).
Recommendation: SFPUC staff recommends that the Commission approve and adopt the General Manager’s finding that ABB Medium Voltage Variable-Frequency Drives product is necessary to match existing products used at SFPUC Wastewater Enterprise facilities; and authorize the designation of ABB MV Agenda Title: General Manager’s Findings for Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives and Authorize Designation of Product to Match Other Products in Use
Commission Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
VFDs for Contract No. WW-767, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) Booster Station Interim Improvements , as a product that meets the intent of California Code, PCC 3400(c)(2), for the benefit of standardizing all MV VFDs within Wastewater Enterprise ’
s pump stations. WWE has
been utilizing ABB VFDs since 2017 with no operational concerns.
Additionally, WWE has strong knowledge, experience, and training in the operation and maintenance of this equipment which has reduced equipment downtime. Furthermore, the standardization of equipment allows for spare parts to be used interchangeably which reduces the overall number of spare parts required.
Attachment(s): 1. Justification Memorandum – Match Other Products In Use (California Code, PCC 3400(c)(2)) – ABB Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives (April 11, 2025).
Agenda Title: General Manager’s Findings for Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives and Authorize Designation of Product to Match Other Products in Use
Commission Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
RESOLUTION NO.
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Wastewater Enterprise operates and maintains critical facilities, and is responsible to ensure reliable and efficient operations; and
WHEREAS, Variable Frequency Drives are critical pieces of electrical infrastructure that provide speed and torque control to motors for all types of mechanical equipment ( pumps, fans, compressors, etc.) at the SFPUC’s Wastewater treatment and pumping facilities; and
WHEREAS, The SFPUC Wastewater Enterprise recently upgraded North Shore Pump Station and Channel Pump Station with ABB Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives; and
WHEREAS, California Public Contract Code Section 3400, incorporated through Administrative Code Section 6.73(e)(1), allows the awarding authority to designate particular products in contract documents i n order to match other products in use on a particular public improvement either completed or in the course of completion; and
WHEREAS, The Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Booster Station is the last remaining pump statio n that requires upgrades to Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives; and
WHEREAS, On May 12, 2025 the San Francisco Planning Department determined the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Booster Station Interim Improvements Project to be categorically exempt from environmental review under the CEQA Guidelines section 15301, Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and California Environmental Quality Act ( CEQA) Guidelines section 15302, Class 2 (Replacement and Reconstruction) under Case No. 2024-005163ENV; and
WHEREAS, On April 16 , 2025, the General Manager concurred with SFPUC staff recommendation to prescribe ABB Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives for Contract No.
WW-767, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Booster Station Interim Improvements , in accordance with the California Public Contract Code Section 3400(c)(2); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby approves and adopts the SFPUC General Manager’s findings that ABB Medium Voltage Variable -Frequency Drives product is necessary to match existing products used at SFPUC Wastewater Enterprise’s facilities, and be it
FURTHER REOLVED, That this Commission authorize s the General Manager to prescribe ABB Medium Voltage Variable-Frequency Drives for Contract No. WW-767, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) Booster Station Interim Improvements contract documents, in accordance with the requirements set forth in San Francisco Administrative Code Section
6.73(e)(1) and California Public Contract Code Section 3400.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of May 27, 2025.
Director of Commission Affairs
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
OUR MISSION: To provide our customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
TO:
April 11, 2025
Dennis Herrera
General Manager, SFPUC
THRO
UGH: Joel Prather
Assistant General Manager, Wastewater Enterprise
FR
OM: Joseph Wong
Engineering Design Manager, Wastewater Enterprise
SUBJ
ECT: Match Other Products In Use (California Code, PCC 3400(c)(2)) - ABB Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drives
Pur
pose:
The purpos
e of this memorandum is to provide justification to prescribe ABB Medium Voltage (MV) Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) for WW-767, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) Booster Station Interim Improvements contract documents in accordance with the California Public Contract Code Section 3400(c)(2).
Backgr
ound:
VF
Ds are critical electrical infrastructure that provide speed and torque control to motors for all types of mechanical equipment ( pumps, fans, compressors, etc.) at SFPUC’s wastewater treatment and pumping facilities.
Mo
st critically, MV (greater than 460 volts) VFDs control many of the main lift pumps (700 to 15 00 horsepower) utilized throughout the City to pump raw sewage out of the collection system and discharge it into the treatment process. Without these, the water stored in the collection system would not be able to be treated and safely discharged to the bay, as required by SFPUC’s NPDES permit.
The C
ity has the following three (3) main pump stations and associated main lift pumps that require MV VFDs:
• Channel Pump Station (CHS)
o Lift Pumps 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
• North Shore Pump Station (NSS)
o Wet Weather Lift Pumps 1, 2
• SEP 550 Booster Station
o Lift Pumps 1, 2, 3, 4
WW-767, SEP Booster Station Interim Improvements involves critical process rehabilitation to the Booster Station that pumps/conveys up to 110 million gallons per day of plant efflu ent during wet weather operation. Under this contract, four lift pumps will be rehabilitated, and the associated four VFDs will be replaced. The operations of these four pumps are critical to maintain compliance with SFPUC’s NPDES permit requirement to ensure discharges to the SF Bay.
Performance Reliability
As part of infrastructure upgrade projects that began in 2017, WWE has replaced all their medium voltage VFDs from the discontinued Robicon Perfect Harmony model to the ABB ASC- 2000 Series. These drives offer many advantages over the existing Harmony Model drives as described below:
• Current Operation – ABB drives that have been installed have not had any significant operational problems since installation, approximately 8 years. • Reliable Manufacturer Support – ABB is a large provider of VFD s throughout the world and offers full-service support through virtual diagnostics that can save thousands in costly maintenance calls. • Small Footprint – New ABB drives fit within the existing footprint of Harmony drives. For many facilities, including the SEP 550 Booster Station, space is limited and any reduction in space is useful for operations staff.
Standardization
WWE stocks spare parts for all critical wastewater treatment equipment, including the VFDs. The VFDs are operated and maintained by operators, electricians, and electronic maintenance technicians. Standardizing the VFDs to ABB will reduce the number of spare parts needed and allow maintenance staff and operators to hone their working knowledge of a single manufacturer’s equipment. This improves uptime and safety while reducing equipment maintenance labor costs. WWE already has existing ABB MVs VFDs at the following locations:
• Channel Pump Station (CHS)
o Lift Pumps 2, 4, 5, with 3 and 6 to be installed this summer • North Shore Pump Station (NSS)
o Wet Weather Lift Pumps 1, 2
The SEP 550 Booster Station is the last pump station utilizing the discontinued Robicon Perfect Harmony VFDs, and providing an ABB MV VFDs to Booster Station Lift Pumps 1, 2, 3, and 4 will allow for full standardization of the MV VFDs throughout the WWE critical pump stations.
Cost Control:
A vendor quote was provided in March 2025 and the vendor stated it will honor the quote th rough the end of 2025. Also, the vendor quote includes a caveat stating that a 5% escalation factor would apply if purchased in 2026. The escalation factor is aligned with typical SFPUC escalation factors. Furthermore, SFPUC requested three (3 ) recent vendor quotes of similar application to compare against the quote provided. The provided reference quotes are within 5% of the vendor quote provided to the SFPUC.
California Code, PCC 3400(c)(2)
California Code, PCC 3400(c)(2)
(c) Subdivision (b) is not applicable if the awarding authority, or its designee, makes a finding that is described in the invitation for bids or request for proposals that a particular material, product, thing, or service is designated by specific brand or trade name for any of the following purposes:
(2) In order to match other products in use on a particular public improvement either completed or in the course of completion.
Conclusion:
WWE requests your concurrence to designate ABB MV VFDs for WW-767, SEP Booster Station Interim Improvements, as a product that meets the intent of California Code, PCC 3400(c)(2), for the benefit of standardizing all MV VFDs within Wastewater Enterprise. WWE has been utilizing ABB VFDs since 2017 with no operational concerns. Additionally, WWE has strong training and knowledge in the operation and maintenance of this equipment which has reduced equipment downtime when maintenance is needed. Furthermore, the standardization of equipment allows for spare parts to be used interchangeably without spares being needed at each facility.
Concurrence:
__________________________________
Dennis Herrera. Date
General Manager, SFPUC
4/16/2025