SFPUC Commission Meeting
November 10, 2025
Approve Increases in Cost and Duration Contingencies for Contract WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Presented by – Roland Sun, Project Manager
To increase reliability, redundancy
and capacity of the Southeast
Water Pollution Control Plant’s
(SEP) electrical system with
following utility power feeds:
1. SFPUC Hetch Hetchy (BCTD)
from Potrero Switchyard
2. PG&E Hunters Point
Switchyard
2 Objective of the Project
• Construction 90% complete with SEP completely operating on SFPUC Hetch Hetchy Power feed from Potrero Switchyard • Revised/Remaining work includes:
• Develop a revised design and short circuit coordination study to address PG&E’s regulatory requirement that became effective recently
• Install interrupter mechanism and connect PG&E feeder to newly constructed metering cabinet
• Reconfigure protective relays and re-test compatibility and reliability
3 Current Status and Remaining
Work
4 Requested Cost and Duration
Contingency Increase
Recommended Increase to Cost Contingency
• Original award amount: $30,744,200
• Original 10% cost contingency: $3,074,420
• Approved cost contingency: $5,074,420
• Modification Nos. 1 - 54: $4,342,669
• Requested increase to cost contingency: $1,500,000
• Total proposed contract cost limit: $37,318,620
Recommended Increase to Duration Contingency
• Notice-to-Proceed date: October 5, 2020
• Original contract duration: 1,170 consecutive calendar days • Original 10% duration contingency: 117 calendar days
• Approved duration contingency: 768 calendar days
• Modification Nos. 1 – 54: 679 calendar days
• Requested additional duration contingency: 360 calendar days • Total proposed duration limit: 2,298 calendar days
DEPARTMENT
Infrastructure Division
AGENDA NO.
7 MEETING DATE
November 10, 2025
AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
Calendar: Regular Calendar
Contract Manager: Roland Sun
Approve Increase to the Cost and Duration Contingencies for Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Summary of Proposed
Commission Action:
Approve an increase of $1,500,000 to the cost contingency and an increase of 360 calendar days to the duration contingency for Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades, with Blocka Construction, Inc., for a revised cost limit of
$37,318,620 and a revised duration limit of 2,298 calendar days (approximately six years and four months) , due to unforeseen site issues, design clarifications, and potential additional cost related to delays in re- design and short circuit coordination study of electrical distribution system per Pacific Gas and Electric Company requirements.
Background: The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Wastewater Enterprise is addressing t he existing primary switchgear and majority of substations at the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) that have reached the end of their useful service life. The objective of the project is to increase reliability, redundancy, and capacity of the electrical system for SEP facilities and nearby pump stations.
On July 28, 2020, by Resolution No. 20- 0163, the Commission awarded Contract No. WW -662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades , to Blocka Construction, Inc . The original contract amount was $30,744,200, and the original contract duration was 1,170 consecutive calendar days.
On March 14, 2023, by Resolution No. 23- 0055, the Commission approved an increase of $2,000,000 to the existing cost contingency and an increase of 368 calendar days to the existing duration contingency, for a total revised cost limit of $35,818,620 and a total revised duration limit of 1,655 calendar days.
On March 11, 2025, by Resolution No. 25-0046, the Commission approved an increase of 283 calendar days to the existing duration contingency, for a total revised duration limit of 1, 938 calendar days, with no change to the contract amount.
Scope of Contract: The contract work location is the SEP in San Francisco.
Agenda Title: Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: November 10, 2025
The contract work consists of:
• Construction of a two-story building (SEP Building 032) supported on piles and over the existing primary switching station to house the new primary electrical switchgear;
• Installation of new primary electrical switchgear sized to provide adequate power for all existing electrical loads and future demands and peak loads;
• Installation of two utility power metering cabinets outside Building 032 for connection to the existing Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) feed and new Hetch Hetchy Power feed;
• Replacement of existing substation transformers at various locations throughout the SEP;
• Installation of new underground electrical infrastructures and a new power monitoring and control system for additional reliability and efficiency;
• Installation of a utility power metering cabinet and electrical gear for incoming Hetch Hetchy Power feed at Bruce Flynn Station; and, • Retrofit of existing electrical equipment for the incoming Hetch Hetchy Power feed at the Booster Pump Station.
Modifications to the
Contract:
Modification Nos. 1 to 24 : Staff issued Modification Nos. 1 through 24, within the original contingenc ies, increas ing the contract amount by $894,283 and increas ing the contract duration by 68 calendar days , for various additional work due to differing site conditions, design clarifications, and costs associated with extended contractor ’s overhead, as well as to account for late start of contractor ’s critical construction activity due to site logistical and Hetch Hetchy P ower availability issues, for a total contract amount of $31,638,483, and a total contract duration of 1,238 consecutive calendar days.
Modification Nos. 25 to 45: Staff issued Modification Nos. 25 through 45, in accordance with Resolution No. 23-0055, increasing the contract amount by $1,820,252 and increas ing the contract duration by 417 consecutive calendar days, for various additional work due to differing site conditions, design clarifications, and additional extended Contractor’s overhead related to the delay in delivery of Hetch Hetchy Power to SEP, for a total contract amount of $33,458,735, and a total contract duration of 1,655 consecutive calendar days.
Modification Nos. 46 to 54: Staff issued Modification Nos. 46 through 54, in accordance with Resolution No. 25-0046, increasing the contract amount by $1,628,134 and increasing the contract duration by 194 consecutive calendar days, due to differing site conditions, design clarifications, Hetch Hetchy Power availability issues, operational constraints in substation cutover sequences and construction of additional service protection Agenda Title: Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: November 10, 2025
equipment per PG&E requirements , for a total contract amount of $35,086,869, and a total contract duration of 1,849 consecutive calendar days.
Recommended Increase to Cost and Duration Contingencies: Staff recommends that the Commission increase the cost contingency by $1,500,000 and the duration contingency by 360 calendar days, for a revised cost limit of $37,318,620 and a revised duration limit of 2,298 calendar days, due to unforeseen site issues, design clarifications, potential additional cost related to delays in re-design and short circuit coordination study of electrical distribution sys tem, as well as additional time to perform the following:
develop a revised design to accommod ate current PG&E regulatory requirement to ensure full integration with existing electrical power distribution system , conduct short circuit coordination study to validate protection settings and ensure safe operation with PG&E upstream protective device, re-configurate all associated protective relays, re-test circuit by circuit to confirm electrical compatibility and reliability, and extend the electrical duct bank from outdoor switchgear to the existing PG&E electrical 3- way switch.
Funding and Costs: Funding Source: Project No. CWWSIPSE10 (10002284), SEP Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Original Contract Amount: $30,744,200
Original 10% Cost Contingency: $3,074,420
Approved Increase in Cost Contingency: $2,000,000
Modified Increases to Contract Amount: $4,342,669
Total Current Contract Amount: $35,086,869
[Proposed] Additional Cost Contingency: $1,500,000
Total [Proposed] Cost Limit: $37,318,620
Schedule: Notice-to-Proceed Date: October 5, 2020
Original Contract Duration: 1,170 consecutive calendar days Original 10% Duration Contingency: 117 calendar days
Approved Increase to Duration Contingency: 651 calendar days Modified Increases to Contract Duration: 679 calendar days Total Current Contract Duration: 1,849 consecutive calendar days [Proposed] Additional Duration Contingency: 360 calendar days Total [Proposed] Duration Limit: 2,298 consecutive calendar days
Environmental
Review:
On February 22, 2018 , the San Francisco Planning Department determined the Project to be categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15303, Class 3 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) under Case No. 2017- 015855ENV. The work under this modification is within the scope of the Project authorized under the exemption. The exemption determination can be found here:
Agenda Title: Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: November 10, 2025
https://sfpuc.sharefile.com/public/share/web-
sc023e833c67f4d2898e30afa983f3605
Local Business
Enterprise Utilization
and Non-
Discrimination in
Contracting:
The Contract Monitoring Division established a n 8% Local Business Enterprise (LBE) subcontracting requirement for this contract. The contractor committed to a n 11.38 % LBE subcontractor participation with its bid submittal, and this amount remains unchanged.
Agenda Title: Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades
Commission Meeting Date: November 10, 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 is addressing the existing primary switchgear and the majority of substations at the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) that have reached the end of their useful service life. The SEP Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades project is to increase reliability, redundancy , and capacity of the electrical system for SEP facilities and nearby pump stations; and
WHEREAS, On July 28, 2020, by Resolution No. 20- 0163, the Commission awarded Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades to Blocka Construction, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, The original contract amount was for $30,744,200 and the original contract duration was 1,170 consecutive calendar days; and
WHEREAS, The contract Notice-to-Proceed date was October 5, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Staff issued Modification Nos. 1 to 24, within the original contingencies, increasing the contract amount by $894,238 and extending the contract duration by 68 calendar days , for various additional work due to differing site conditions, design clarifications and costs associated with extended contractor’s overhead, as well as to account for late start of contractor’s critical construction activity due to site logistical and Hetch Hetchy Power grid availability issues, for a revised contract amount of $31,638,483, and a revised contract duration of 1,238 consecutive calendar days; and
WHEREAS, On March 14, 2023, by Resolution No. 23- 0055, the Commission approved an increase of $ 2,000,000 to the cost contingency and an increase of 368 calendar days to the duration contingency, for a total cost limit of $35,818,620, and a total duration limit of 1,655 calendar days; and
WHEREAS, Modification Nos. 25 to 45 increased the contract amount by $1,820,252 and extended the contract duration by 417 calendar days, in accordance with Resolution No. 23- 0055, for various additional work due to differing site conditions, design clarifications, and additional extended Contractor’s overhead related to the delay in delivery of Hetch Hetchy Power grid to SEP, for a total contract amount of $33,458,735, and a total contract duration of 1,655 consecutive calendar days; and
WHEREAS, On March 11, 2025, by Resolution No. 25- 0046, the Commission approved an increase of 283 calendar days to the duration contingency, for a total duration limit of 1,938 calendar days, with no change to the contract amount; and
WHEREAS, Modification Nos. 46 to 54 increased the contract amount by $1,628,134, in accordance with Resolution No. 23-0055, and increased the contract duration by 194 consecutive calendar days, in accordance with Resolution No. 25- 0046, for various additional work due to differing site conditions, operation constraints in substation cutover sequences and construction of additional service
protection equipment per Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) requirements, for a total contract amount of $35,086,869, and a total contract duration of 1,849 consecutive calendar days; and
WHEREAS; Staff recommends an increase of $1,500,000 to the cost contingency and an increase of 360 calendar days to the duration contingency, for a revised cost limit of $37,318,620 and a revised duration limit of 2,298 calendar days, due to unforeseen site issues and potential additional cost related to the re-design and coordination study per PG&E requirements, as well as the anticipated additional time to perform the following: develop a revised design to accommodate current PG&E regulatory requirement to ensure full integration with existing electrical power distribution system, conduct short circuit coordination study to validat e protection settings and ensure safe operation with PG&E upstream protective devi ce, re- configurate all associated protective relays, re- test circuit by circuit to confirm electrical compatibility and reliability, and extend the electrical duct bank to the existing PG&E electrical 3-way switch; and
WHEREAS, The Contract Monitoring Division established a Local Business Enterprise (LBE) subcontracting participation of 8% for this contract, the contractor committed to a n LBE subcontractor participation of 11.38% with its bid submittal, and this amount remains unchanged; and
WHEREAS, On February 22, 2018, the San Francisco Planning Department determined the Project to be categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15303, Class 3 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) under Case No. 2017-015855ENV; and the work under this modification is within the scope of the Project authorized under the exemption; and
WHEREAS, Funds are available from Project No. CWWSIPSE10 (10002284), Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby approves an increase of $1,500,000 to the existing cost contingency and an increase of 360 calendar days to the existing duration contingency, for Contract No. WW-662R, Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant Power Feed and Primary Switchgear Upgrades, with Blocka Construction, Inc., for a total cost contingency of $6,574,420 and a total duration contingency of 1,128 calendar days; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby authorizes the General Manager, or the General Manager’s designee, to consider, and, if appropriate, to approve any future modifications to the contract, for a total cost limit of $37,318,620 and for a total duration limit of 2,298 calendar days.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of November 10, 2025.
Director of Commission Affairs
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission