Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority
Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
7:00 pm
Cupertino Community Hall
10350 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, CA
Pursuant to State of California Gov’t Code Section 54953 (e) the meeting was conducted via teleconference with an option for members of the Board of Directors and staff to participate in person.
MEETING MINUTES
Call to Order:
Chair Gibbons called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.
Roll Call
Present:
Liz Gibbons (Chair), Campbell
George Tyson (Vice Chair), Los Altos Hills
Hung Wei, Cupertino
Rebeca Armendariz, Gilroy
Neysa Fligor, Los Altos
Rob Rennie, Los Gatos
Evelyn Chua, Milpitas
Bryan Mekechuk, Monte Sereno
Margaret Abe-Koga, Mountain View
Tina Walia, Saratoga
Larry Klein, Sunnyvale
Otto Lee, Santa Clara County
Absent:
Yvonne Martinez Beltran, Morgan Hill
Chair Gibbons, Vice Chair Tyson, Director Abe-Koga, Director Klein, Director Mekechuk, Director Lee, Director Rennie and Director Walia attended in person; all other Directors attended via teleconference.
Chair Gibbons announced Item 7) Hybridization of Gas Peaking Fleet would not be addressed and would be heard at a future meeting, and a Closed Session would be heard following Item 8) New Construction Reach Code Update.
Adoption of Resolutions Commending Director Gibbons, Ellahie, Fligor, and Willey, and Alternate Directors Larsson and Sayoc for Their Dedicated Service to SVCE Vice Chair Tyson led the item. A video was shown acknowledging and thanking SVCE’s outgoing 2022 board directors.
Vice Chair Tyson presented resolutions to Alternate Director Larsson, Director Ellahie, Chair Gibbons and DocuSign Envelope ID: 3DE087C8-AA18-4EE1-912C-B836D37971A6
Director Fligor; all reflected on their time serving on SVCE’s Board of Directors and thanked fellow directors and staff.
MOTION: Alternate Director Mekechuk moved and Director Lee seconded the motion to adopt Resolutions 2022-31, 2022-32, 2022-33, 2022-34, 2022-35, 2022-36 commending Director Gibbons, Ellahie, Fligor, and Willey, and Alternate Directors Larsson and Sayoc for their dedicated service to SVCE.
Directors Walia, Abe-Koga, Rennie, Lee, Chua, and Alternate Director Wei provided comments and thanked outgoing board members.
Vice Chair Tyson opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Vice Chair Tyson closed Public Comment.
The motion carried unanimously with Director Martinez Beltran absent.
Chair Gibbons proceeded to preside over the remainder of the meeting.
Public Comment on Matters Not Listed on the Agenda
No speakers.
Consent Calendar
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.
1a) Approve Minutes of the November 9, 2022, Board of Directors Meeting 1b) Receive October 2022 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) Adopt Resolution Establishing SVCE E-ELEC (“Electric Home”) Generation Rate for Residential Customers, to Correspond with New PG&E Rate 1e) Acknowledge Additional Meeting Expenses with Pisenti & Brinker, LLP for Past Financial Audits
1f) Executive Committee Report
1g) Closing Report of the 2022 Ad Hoc Committee of the Board to Address Legislative and Regulatory Response to Industry Transition
1h) California Community Power Report
1i) Additional Committee Reports
MOTION: Director Rennie moved and Director Abe-Koga seconded the motion to approve the Consent Calendar, Items 1a through 1i.
The motion carried unanimously by verbal roll call vote with Director Martinez Beltran absent.
Regular Calendar
2) CEO Report (Discussion)
CEO Girish Balachandran introduced new Decarbonization Data Engineer, Sangeetha Kumar, who provided brief welcome comments.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3DE087C8-AA18-4EE1-912C-B836D37971A6
3) Approve 2023 Legislative Policy Platform and Identify Focus Areas for the 2023 Legislative Ad Hoc Committee (Action)
Bena Chang, Senior Manager of Government Affairs, provided a presentation on SVCE’s 2023 legislative policy platform and creation of the ad hoc committee of the Board to address legislative response to industry transition (“Leg Ad Hoc Committee”). The presentation included a review of the 2022 legislative year and 2023 forecast, the proposed 2023 draft legislative policy platform and top policy areas, and the purpose for the request to establish a legislative ad hoc committee.
Senior Manager of Government Affairs Chang responded to questions and comments from board members.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
MOTION: Director Rennie moved and Director Lee seconded the motion to approve SVCE’s 2023 Policy Platform and create the 2023 Legislative Ad Hoc Committee.
The motion carried unanimously with Director Martinez Beltran absent. 4) Adopt Resolution to Increase SVCE’s Generation Rate Discount, and Dedicate Funding for an Electrification Discount Rate and Multifamily Direct-Install Program (Action) Don Bray, Director of Strategic Development, Adam Selvin, Director of Energy Services and Community Relations, and Peter Mustacich, Energy Services Lead, provided a presentation with a request to increase SVCE’s generation rate discount to 4% and authorize the CEO to allocate $19M to fund an electrification discount and expansion of the low-income multifamily direct-install program.
Staff presented information on updated financial projections, the new electrification rate discount, 2023 discount options, expansion of the multifamily direct-install program to address the electrification gap for renters by including electric heating retrofits, and allocating available funds between the new electrification discount and the expanded multifamily direct-install program.
Staff responded to board member questions regarding the forecasted budget projections, multiunit properties with Homeowner Associations and how that may impact the electric heating retrofits, budgeted amount for the electrification discount, clarification that the request includes that approved funds can be shifted between the electrification discount and multifamily direct-install program if needed, multifamily unit projections and budget, projected discount for the average consumer, messaging to customers regarding new rates in 2023, how the funds are allocated for the multifamily direct-install program, a request to factor in the different communities of our member agencies and identify sums for each city, and prioritization for affordable housing.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
Bruce Karney, Mountain View Resident and Chair of Carbon Free Mountain View, requested the board approve Option 1 of the staff presentation, providing a 2% discount to customers, to leave more money for programs to bend the carbon curve. Mr. Karney noted he would like to see the data of how much the carbon curve is bending in SVCE territory, and requested clarification if the discount rate would apply to commercial customers or only residential customers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Director of Strategic Development Bray noted the discount applied to commercial and residential customers.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3DE087C8-AA18-4EE1-912C-B836D37971A6
Chair Gibbons noted the Executive Committee discussed some of Mr. Karney’s concerns, and the consensus was to balance how to best use the funds.
Directors provided comments on the various alternatives presented by staff.
MOTION: Director Mekechuk moved and Director Lee seconded the motion to Adopt Resolution 2022-39 1) authorizing the CEO to implement SVCE generation rate changes effective January 1, 2023 or within three weeks thereafter, increasing from a 1% to a 4% discount to PG&E’s new generation rates, and 2) authorizing the CEO to allocate $19M to fund a) an electrification discount, and b) expansion of the low-income multifamily direct-install program, each at $9.5M but funding flexible between a) and b).
The motion carried unanimously with Director Martinez Beltran absent. 5) Update on Hybrid Meeting Requirements Following Termination of Emergency Order (Discussion)
Kevin Armstrong, Deputy Director of Administrative Services, provided a presentation on hybrid meeting requirements following the termination of Governor Newsom’s COVID-19 emergency order on February 28, 2023.
General Counsel Trisha Ortiz provided additional information on AB 2449, an amendment to traditional Brown Act rules which provides an exception under extraordinary circumstances for members to participate in meetings remotely.
Board members provided comments and feedback on the use of AB 2449 for SVCE meetings; General Counsel Ortiz responded to board member questions and provided clarifications.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Chair Gibbons summarized comments on direction to staff for regular meetings to be conducted under the existing Brown Act, however there is the potential for utilizing AB 2449 on an emergency basis if the requirements are met.
6) SVCE Information Update on 2023 SVCE Board Elections (Discussion) Board Clerk Andrea Pizano provided a presentation on information for the upcoming Chair, Vice Chair and committee selections.
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
7) Hybridization of Gas Peaking Fleet (Presentation)
The item was not heard.
8) New Construction Reach Code Update (Presentation)
Zoe Elizabeth, Deputy Director of Decarbonization Programs and Policy, presented a PowerPoint presentation providing a status update on reach code efforts.
Board members thanked staff for their work and support.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3DE087C8-AA18-4EE1-912C-B836D37971A6
Chair Gibbons opened Public Comment.
No speakers.
Chair Gibbons closed Public Comment.
Board Member Announcements and Future Agenda Items
Director Chua thanked outgoing directors for their service on SVCE’s Board.
Alternate Director Mekechuk announced he attended the Rabbitbrush Ribbon Cutting ceremony in Kern County on November 30, 2022 and shared photos from the event.
Public Comment on Closed Session
No speakers.
Closed Session
The Board convened to Closed Session at 9:54 p.m. to discuss the following:
Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation
Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: (one potential case) Report from Closed Session
The Board returned from Closed Session at 10:16 p.m.
Chair Gibbons announced there was nothing to report.
Adjourn
Chair Gibbons adjourned the meeting at 10:16 p.m.
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Andrea Pizano, Board Secretary
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3DE087C8-AA18-4EE1-912C-B836D37971A6