Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority
Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
7:00 pm
Pursuant to State of California Gov’t Code Section 54953 (e) the meeting was conducted via teleconference.
MINUTES
Call to Order:
Chair Gibbons called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
Roll Call
Present:
Liz Gibbons (Chair), Campbell
George Tyson (Vice Chair), Los Altos Hills
Jon Robert Willey, Cupertino
Zachary Hilton, Gilroy
Neysa Fligor, Los Altos
Rob Rennie, Los Gatos
Evelyn Chua, Milpitas
Javed Ellahie, Monte Sereno
Yvonne Martinez Beltran, Morgan Hill
Margaret Abe-Koga, Mountain View
Tina Walia, Saratoga
Larry Klein, Sunnyvale
Otto Lee, Santa Clara County (arrived at 7:05 p.m.)
Absent:
None.
All present Board members participated via teleconference.
Chair Gibbons welcomed Director Larry Klein.
Public Comment on Matters Not Listed on the Agenda
Chair Gibbons noted a comment from a member of the public was received and distributed to the Board of Directors.
No speakers.
Board Clerk Andrea Pizano announced Director Lee had joined the meeting.
Consent Calendar
1a) Approve Minutes of the January 12, 2022, Board of Directors Meeting 1b) Receive December 2021 Treasurer Report
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1c) Adopt Resolution Authorizing Public Meetings to Continue to Be Held Via Teleconferencing Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e) and Making Findings 1d) Adopt Resolution Modifying Delegation of Authority to the Chief Executive Officer to Negotiate Non-Standard Pricing Agreements for Eligible Large Commercial and Industrial Customers, to Include Customer-Provided Supply Agreements
1e) Approve 2022 Updates to Exhibit C, Annual Energy Use, and Exhibit D, Voting Shares, of the SVCE Joint Powers Agreement
1f) Approve Cancellation of July 13, 2022 Board of Directors Meeting and Receive 2022 Board of Directors Regular Meeting Schedule
1g) Authorize the Chief Executive Officer to Extend the Contract Terms and Spending Under Innovation Onramp Participant Agreement with UtilityAPI, Inc. for Data Hive 1h) Adopt Resolution Amending SVCE Conflict of Interest Code to Add Multiple Positions 1i) Executive Committee Report
1j) Finance and Administration Committee Report
1k) Audit Committee Report
1l) California Community Power Report
There were no questions or comments from the Board; there were no requests from the public to speak on any matter on the Consent Calendar.
MOTION: Director Rennie moved and Director Klein seconded the motion to approve the Consent Calendar, Items 1a through 1l.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote.
Regular Calendar
2) CEO Report (Discussion)
CEO Balachandran reported on the following:
x Net Energy Metering 3.0 decision, noting it was on hold and would not appear on the agenda until further discussions take place;
x SVCE mid-year budget which would be brought to the Board of Directors in March, x Announcement of Senior Regulatory Analyst Poonum Agrawal and Director of Legislative and Regulatory Policy Melicia Charles leaving the organization; x Introduction of Aidas Baublys, SVCE’s new Senior Financial Analyst, who provided welcome comments;
x Announcement of promotion of Justin Zagunis to Director of Decarbonization and Grid Innovation Programs, who provided brief comments;
x Announcement of Director of Account Services and Community Relations Don Bray’s transition to a new role focused on special projects in the spring, who provided brief comments; x Reorganization ideas are in progress with Department Directors.
CEO Balachandran called attention to the department updates included in the Board meeting agenda packet, specifically the Media and Press Releases in the Account Services and Community Relations update.
Director Rennie shared appreciation for Director of Account Services and Community Relations Bray. 3) Appoint 2022 Board Committee Members (Action)
Board Clerk Pizano provided a brief staff report on the item and summarized the interests received for each of SVCE’s remaining committees: Legislative and Regulatory Ad Hoc Committee, Audit Committee, and Finance and Administration Committee.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
MOTION: Director Ellahie moved and Director Chua seconded the motion to confirm committee membership as presented by staff:
Legislative and Regulatory Ad Hoc Committee
1. Director Liz Gibbons
2. Director Zach Hilton
3. Director Rob Rennie
4. Director Yvonne Martinez Beltran
5. Director Margaret Abe-Koga
6. Alternate Director Gustav Larsson
Audit Committee
1. Alternate Director Bryan Mekechuk
2. Director Margaret Abe-Koga
3. Alternate Director Sergio Lopez
4. Vickie Rahman, Finance Analyst, City of Gilroy
Finance and Administration Committee
1. Director Liz Gibbons
2. Alternate Director Hung Wei
3. Director Rob Rennie
4. Alternate Director Bryan Mekechuk
5. Director Margaret Abe-Koga
6. Director Larry Klein
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote. 4) Adopt Resolution to Implement SVCE Generation Rate Changes Effective March 2022 (Action) Amrit Singh, CFO and Director of Administrative Services, introduced the item and presented a PowerPoint presentation with a request to adopt resolution 2022-06, and transfer money from the operating budget to the programs decarbonization fund for the March 2022 Mid-Year budget update. Staff responded to board member questions.
Director Klein inquired of the communication plans to SVCE customers regarding the anticipated rate change; Director of Account Services and Community Relations Bray responded on the current process of a press release and joint rate mailer. Director Klein commented on the importance of making customers aware of the change in rates and the immediate impacts of their energy usage; Director of Account Services and Community Relations Bray acknowledged Director Klein’s concerns and noted email communication or an energy efficiency message regarding rates could be considered.
Director Willey inquired as clean power supply projects come online, if oil and gas prices will fluctuate less; CEO Balachandran provided background information and noted staff could look at his question from a strategic standpoint and bring it back.
The Board of Directors discussed the customer discount on rates, and the use of the allocated funds for customer relief, similar to what was done in 2020 for CARE/FERA customers and small businesses.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
Bruce Karney commented on recent high temperatures, which was leading to the melting of permafrost, putting more methane into the atmosphere. Karney commented we should do everything in our power as
fast as we can to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and the board should be paying attention to irreversible climate change, commenting the biggest role SVCE can play is the continuation of leadership focused on the big picture and not the small details.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Chair Gibbons summarized board comments in the meeting which included consideration to staff for more communication to the public on rate changes, a discussion on how to advance equity with funds, and coming back to SVCE’s mission statement.
The Board of Directors continued discussion on the discount percentage and allocation of program funds toward equity.
MOTION: Director Rennie moved and Director Ellahie seconded the motion to keep the discount rate at 1% below PG&E, put $3 million into a relief program and request staff to come back with recommendations on how to allocate those funds, and the remaining $17 million into decarbonization programs, which staff will come back with recommendations on how to allocate those funds.
Chair Gibbons added the direction to staff to reinforce communication to SVCE’s customers on rate changes; CEO Balachandran the direction was not needed in the motion and the request was received by staff.
Director Ellahie seconded the motion following clarification the motion would go into effect once PG&E’s rates increase.
Director Fligor clarified that within the decarbonization programs allocation being brought back in March, there should be an equity component even though $3 million is being set aside for relief; CEO Balachandran confirmed the emphasis on equity within the decarbonization programs.
Prior to taking a roll call vote, Board Clerk Pizano restated the motion.
RESTATED MOTION: Adopt Resolution 2022-06, authorizing SVCE to implement rate changes to maintain a 1% discount to PG&E generation rates taking effect when PG&E implements its next generation rate change, which is expected to occur on March 1, 2022, and recommend staff transfer $17M from funding from the operating budget to the programs decarbonization fund, and $3M for equity relief which will be brought back to the Board with more details on how funds will be spent in March.
General Counsel Trisha Ortiz clarified the second part of the motion was intended to give staff direction to come back with an action that will be taken in the future on how to spend the $3 million.
Director Rennie confirmed the restated motion matched his intent.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote. 5) Authorize the Chief Executive Officer to Execute Necessary Agreements for Tumbleweed Long Duration Energy Storage with California Community Power, Participating Community Choice Aggregators and LS Power’s Tumbleweed LLC (Action)
Director of Power Resources Monica Padilla introduced the item and presented a PowerPoint presentation with a request for the SVCE Board of Directors to delegate authority to the CEO to execute on behalf of SVCE the necessary Tumbleweed Long Duration Energy Storage Agreements. Director of Power Resources Padilla responded to Board member questions.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
MOTION: Director Abe-Koga moved and Director Walia seconded the motion to authorize the CEO to execute necessary agreements for Tumbleweed long duration energy storage with California Community Power, participating community choice aggregators and LS Tumbleweed LLC.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote.
CEO Balachandran recognized Director of Power Resources Padilla for her leadership on the project. 6) Clean Energy Procurement Informational Update (Presentation) Director of Power Resources Padilla presented a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Board member questions.
Board Member Announcements and Future Agenda Items
None.
Adjourn
Chair Gibbons adjourned the meeting at 9:50 p.m.
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Andrea Pizano, Board Secretary
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