TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Nader Heydari, Public Works Director
DATE:October 7, 2025
SUBJECT: Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize acceptance of the Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (LPDM) Grant from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the amount of $1,379,072 for the design and construction of the Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702).
2. Authorize staff to issue a Request for Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q) for procurement of design and construction of Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702).
3. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. $2,750,000 is available in the Adopted FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 Water Capital Program budget ($200,000 in FY 2025-26 and $2,550,000 in FY 2026-27). $1,379,072 LPDM reimbursement grant from FEMA will offset the project costs. The minimal staff time and costs to prepare this report and the RFP/Q are included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 Water Capital Program budget.
BACKGROUND:
On August 30, 2022, FEMA approved the Ventura County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). The County partnered with 10 incorporated city governments, including the City of Thousand Oaks, to create the HMP. As part of that process, the City identified wildfires as one of the highest hazard risks for the
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community. A specific mitigation action listed in the HMP was for the acquisition of backup generators to protect critical infrastructure during power outages and wildfires.
The City’s Climate and Environmental Action Plan (CEAP), adopted by City Council on May 7, 2024, identifies the installation of microgrids at the City’s water pump stations as one of the City’s key future resilience measures.
The Lang Ranch Pump Station (Attachment #1) provides water to both the Oakbrook and Sunset No. 3 Reservoirs, which serve the high-pressure zones in the Sunset Hills area. Lang Ranch Pump Station is one of several critical facilities in Thousand Oaks that has been frequently affected by loss of power from frequent Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. It serves a residential area within the northeast section of the city consisting of 2,167 parcels.
This area of the city suffered devastating losses during the 2018 Woolsey Fire and, being located close to Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ), its electricity supply is affected by the threat of wildfires. Scheduled and unscheduled power outages disrupt water pumping operations at this facility, and the coincidence of these with wildfires and wildfire weather (low humidity and high winds), places water delivery to the surrounding population at risk.
In 2025, the City was awarded a FEMA reimbursement grant for the Lang Ranch Pump Station Project in the amount of $1,379,072 to offset the project costs.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The proposed Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station Project will design and install an electrical microgrid comprising of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), an onsite fixed diesel back-up generator, and a microgrid controller to provide resilient off-grid power during PSPS events, infrastructure failure, and emergency incidents.
In the event of a power outage, the microgrid will disconnect from the utility grid and autonomously power the facility, ensuring a continual supply of potable water to residents, as well as support for firefighting operations during wildfire events. In the event of prolonged power outages, the generator will be the source of power to both the pump station and the BESS.
This project will utilize the procurement method authorized in California Government Code Section 4217.10 et seq., specifically for Energy Conservation projects, which allows for one entity to do both the design and construction of the project. This project delivery process, utilized by the City successfully for other energy related projects at various facilities, is the preferred procurement method Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702)
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by public agencies due to its streamlined process. This procurement strategy allows the City to factor in both cost competitiveness and qualifications when selecting a designer/contractor as opposed to only considering the lowest bid.
The tentative schedule for completion of the project is as follows:
RFP/Q process
Fall 2025
Award of Design-Build agreement Early 2026
Design of Microgrid complete Summer 2026
Project completion Summer 2027
Upon completion, the project will provide this City facility with a resilient energy supply, a key component of the City’s Sustainability Plan.
Community Outreach: Staff will develop and implement a public outreach plan for the project. A dedicated project website will be created where updated project information will be provided throughout the design and construction phases of the project to inform the public.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #7, #8, and #9 - “Public Safety, Community-Based Emergency Preparedness, and Wildfire Mitigation”, “Environmental Sustainability”, and “Public Works Infrastructure Investments.” CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 CIP Program Budget)
Priority One – Essential projects which address health and safety, legal, and regulatory requirements, as well as City Council’s Top Priorities projects.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
F. Provide and enhance essential infrastructure to ensure that the goals and policies of the Thousand Oaks General Plan are carried out and the City retains its role and reputation as a leader in protecting the environment and preserving limited natural resources.
PREPARED BY: George Yacoub, Engineering Assistant
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Vicinity and Location Maps
DPW 850-20\ev\Council\2025\100725\CI5702\Power Backup and Lang Ranch Pump Station staff report.docx