Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority
Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
7:00 pm
Pursuant to State of California Gov’t Code Section 54953 (e) the meeting was conducted via teleconference.
MINUTES
All present Board members participated via teleconference.
Call to Order:
Chair Abe-Koga called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
Roll Call
Present:
Margaret Abe-Koga (Chair), Mountain View
Liz Gibbons (Vice Chair), Campbell
Jon Robert Willey, Cupertino
Zachary Hilton, Gilroy
Neysa Fligor, Los Altos
George Tyson, Los Altos Hills
Rob Rennie, Los Gatos
Evelyn Chua, Milpitas
Javed Ellahie, Monte Sereno
Yvonne Martinez Beltran, Morgan Hill (arrived at 7:06 p.m.) Tina Walia, Saratoga
Larry Klein, Sunnyvale
Otto Lee, Santa Clara County
Absent:
None.
Chair Abe-Koga welcomed new Director Larry Klein and Alternate Director Otto Lee.
Public Comment on Matters Not Listed on the Agenda
Arnold de Leon commented he had not seen a position from SVCE on the proposed Net Energy Metering
3.0. CEO Girish Balachandran responded to de Leon; Chair Abe-Koga noted Director Martinez Beltran had joined the meeting.
Adopt Resolution Commending Margaret Abe-Koga for Her Dedicated Service as Chair of the Board of Directors in 2021
Vice Chair Gibbons introduced the item and recognized Chair Abe-Koga for her service as Chair of the Board for 2021.
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SILICON VALLEY
CLEAN ENERGY
Board Members thanked Chair Abe-Koga for her leadership.
Vice Chair Gibbons opened public comment.
Bruce Karney, Chair of Carbon Free Mountain View, recognized Chair Abe-Koga and shared the support Carbon Free Mountain View received from Chair Abe-Koga as a member of the Mountain View City Council in approval to fund the set up of SVCE and support carbon free electricity.
Vice Chair Gibbons closed public comment.
MOTION: Vice Chair Gibbons moved, seconded by Director Walia to adopt Resolution 2022-01 Commending Margaret Abe-Koga for Her Dedicated Service as Chair of the Board of Directors in 2021.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote.
Chair Abe-Koga expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Board of Directors, staff, and members of the public.
Consent Calendar
1a) Approve Minutes of the December 8, 2021, Board of Directors Meeting 1b) Receive November 2021 Treasurer Report
1c) Adopt Resolution Authorizing Public Meetings to Continue to Be Held Via Teleconferencing Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e) and Making Findings 1d) Appoint SCVE Treasurer/Auditor and Board Secretary for 2022 1e) Receive Q4 2021 Decarbonization Programs Update
1f) Executive Committee Report
1g) Finance and Administration Committee Report
1h) Audit Committee Report
1i) California Community Power Report
There were no requests from the Board to pull a Consent Calendar Item for discussion; there were no requests from the public to speak on any matter on the Consent Calendar.
MOTION: Vice Chair Gibbons moved; seconded by Director Martinez Beltran to approve the Consent Calendar, Items 1a through 1i.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote.
Regular Calendar
2) CEO Report (Discussion)
CEO Balachandran introduced Peter Mustacich, Energy Services Lead, who provided brief welcome comments. CEO Balachandran provided updates on the following:
- Personnel update: The position of Manager of Public Sector Services was filled by Tony Eulo, who is expected to start mid-February;
- The staff all-hands in-person meeting originally scheduled for January 14, 2022 has been postponed to April due to the rise of Covid cases;
- SVCE’s first long-term contract, the Coso geothermal project, has come online January 1, 2022.
The Slate solar plus storage project is expected to come online in the coming days. The first project through CC Power will be coming to the SVCE Board of Directors for approval in February, and
- PG&E Rates will be discussed at the February Board of Directors meeting.
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Chair Abe-Koga opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Abe-Koga closed Public Comment.
Chair Abe-Koga welcomed Energy Services Lead Peter Mustacich. 3) Elect a Chair and Vice Chair of the SVCE Board of Directors for 2022 (Action) Board Clerk Andrea Pizano provided a brief staff report, noting letters of interest were received for the role of Chair from Director Liz Gibbons, and from Director George Tyson for Vice Chair.
Chair Abe-Koga opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Abe-Koga closed Public Comment.
Chair Abe-Koga inquired if there were any nominations from the floor for the position of Chair; there were none.
Vice Chair Gibbons spoke to her interest of serving as Chair of the Board of Directors for 2022.
MOTION: Director Ellahie moved; seconded by Director Walia to appoint Director Liz Gibbons as Chair of the SVCE Board of Directors for 2022.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote.
Following the appointment of Chair, the virtual gavel was passed to newly appointed Chair Gibbons to preside over the remainder of the meeting.
Chair Gibbons noted interest for the position of Vice Chair was received from Director George Tyson, and opened the floor for additional nominations. There were no nominations from the floor.
MOTION: Director Fligor moved; seconded by Director Rennie to appoint Director George Tyson as Vice Chair of the SVCE Board of Directors for 2022.
Directors shared their support of Chair Gibbons’ new role as Chair and appointing Director Tyson as Vice Chair. Director Tyson thanked the Board of Directors for their support, and spoke to his interest for the position of Vice Chair.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote. 4) Appoint Directors to the 2022 SVCE Executive Committee (Action) Board Clerk Pizano introduced the item and summarized the interest received from Directors on joining the 2022 Executive Committee.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Director Abe-Koga spoke to withdrawing her name for consideration for the committee to allow others an opportunity to join.
MOTION: Director Abe-Koga moved; seconded by Director Chua to appoint the following Directors to the 2022 Executive Committee:
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Director Yvonne Martinez Beltran
Director Javed Ellahie
Director Neysa Fligor
Director Liz Gibbons
Director George Tyson
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote. 5) Approve Policy Platform and Identify Focus Areas for the 2022 Legislative and Regulatory Ad Hoc Committee (Action)
Melicia Charles, Director of Regulatory and Legislative Policy, presented a PowerPoint presentation with a summary of staff’s request to approve the following: SVCE’s 2022 Policy Platform, creation of an Ad Hoc Committee of the Board to address legislative and regulatory responses to industry transition (“Leg/Reg Ad Hoc Committee), and approve the 2022 focus areas for the Leg/Reg Ad Hoc Committee.
Following the information presented by Director of Regulatory and Legislative Policy Charles on SVCE’s policy platform, Chair Gibbons opened public comment.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
Bruce Karney commented he reviewed the greenhouse gas emissions of Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California CCAs, and was shocked to discover that, with one exception, all of the Southern California CCAs emit more greenhouse gasses per kWh or MWh than the investor-owned utilities. Karney commented due to the increasing cost of clean, green power in the open market, many CCAs have found it difficult to continue to price under the investor-owned utility. Karney commented his belief the CPUC is subject to regulatory capture and there is danger of CPUC decisions that disadvantage CCAs like SVCE and advantage PG&E and other investor-owned utilities. Karney suggested board members pay close attention to regulatory and legislative issues that Director of Regulatory and Legislative Policy Charles mentions because he thinks there are serious risks in 2022.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Director of Regulatory and Legislative Policy Charles proceeded with the presentation and information relating to the 2022 focus areas for the Leg/Reg Ad Hoc Committee.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
Arnold de Leon commented he was pleased to see the emphasis on decarbonization for the Leg/Reg Ad Hoc Committee, and suggested SVCE take a close look at the NEM 3.0 proposal. Mr. de Leon noted he agreed with Mr. Karney’s comment on the CPUC.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Director Willey suggested the public speaker, Arnold de Leon, send his concerns regarding NEM 3.0 to staff; Chair Gibbons requested staff connect with Mr. de Leon. CEO Balachandran noted Mr. de Leon was in contact with Director of Regulatory and Legislative Policy Charles.
Chair Gibbons suggested for future consideration staff reword the 2022 Focus Area of “Expansion of Direct Access” to “Analyze the Potential Expansion of Direct Access”.
MOTION: Director Rennie moved; seconded by Director Ellahie to approve SVCE’s 2022 Policy Platform, the creation of the 2022 Leg/Reg Ad Hoc Committee, and the following six key focus areas for the 2022 Leg/Reg Ad Hoc Committee:
1. Expansion of Direct Access
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2. Reliability Planning and Procurement
3. Transparency and Accountability in Ratemaking
4. Public Safety Power Shutoffs & Wildfire Prevention and Cost Recovery
5. Affordability and Equity
6. Decarbonization
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote.
Board Member Announcements and Future Agenda Items
Chair Gibbons announced staff started meeting with member agencies regarding Reach Codes 2.0, and encouraged Directors to engage Alternates in these discussions.
Chair Gibbons noted she had several requests to attend Acterra’s Code Red for Humanity event on Friday, January 14, 2022; Chair Gibbons requested staff distribute the information on the event. Chair Gibbons mentioned the recent changes in representation based on new redistricting.
Chair Rennie added the City of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno has undergone representative changes as well, and confirmed the changes would become effective in the November 2022 elections.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:27 p.m.
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Andrea Pizano, Board Secretary
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