Hi all,

Crucial news!

The SFPUC (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) has just released its Request For Proposals (RFP) for San Francisco's Community Choice (Clean Power SF) renewable energy project.

Please spread the word very quickly to potential bidding companies, and organizers for clean energy. It is crucial that San Francisco's Community Choice project go to contract before PG&E's anti Community Choice measure goes to the California ballot next June; so that we can establish the strongest possible project to lead the way for the rest of the state, the country, and the planet, in reversing the climate crisis.

Once a successful bid is accepted for this project, it will become the biggest municipal clean energy network in the world and build enough solar, wind and efficiency projects to power San Francisco on 50% clean, renewable electricity within the next decade.

The released RFP is attached as a PDF file. Both it, and other important appendix documents, can be found on the SFPUC's web sit at:
http://sfwater.org/custom/bid/planlist.cfm/bidtype/2/MC_ID/15/MSC_ID/147
under the heading "Electric Supply Services for the Community Choice Aggregation Program RFP".

Here is the SFPUC's release announcement:

http://sfwater.org/detail.cfm/MC_ID/17/MSC_ID/422/MTO_ID/736/C_ID/4789

City Plan to Provide Cleaner Energy to S.F. Residents & Businesses Advances Major Step
Published: 11/05/2009  |  Updated: 11/06/2009
Published By: Power Enterprise

Release of CleanPowerSF Program Request for Proposals (RFP) Moves City Closer to Clean, Renewable Energy Goals

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) today released its Request for Proposal for the Community Choice Aggregation Program, known as CleanPowerSF. The RFP will bring the City one step closer to achieving its goals of providing electric energy to San Franciscans that is significantly greener than what PG&E currently delivers, all at competitive rates. The final RFP is a collaborative effort between the SFPUC and the San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission (SF LAFCo).

"With the unanimous support of the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor, the City's plan to provide clean renewable energy has reached a major milestone. This RFP positions the city to provide San Franciscans with a meaningful green energy alternative to PG&E's misdirected reliance on fossil fuels," said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, LAFCo Chair, and sponsor of the CCA RFP legislation.

"Selecting a partner to help us achieve the goals of CleanPowerSF – locally-controlled, cleaner energy at competitive rates – is the primary objective of the thorough and well balanced RFP that we released today," said Barbara Hale, SFPUC Assistant General Manager for Power.

The final RFP clearly states the energy targets for CleanPowerSF. These targets specify:

The RFP invites potential respondents, including large energy trading firms and renewable energy project developers, to submit proposals that are based on the City’s renewable energy goals.

Community Choice Aggregation, a state law passed in 2002, allows California cities and counties to combine their citizens' purchasing power to buy electricity, reducing consumer costs and enhancing local control and consumer protections. In 2007, San Francisco adopted its own energy blueprint called CleanPowerSF, based on the CCA model, with the specific goal of increasing the City's use of clean, renewable power.

The released RFP follows a Request for Information (RFI) released by the SFPUC in 2007 and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) released in 2009. To view the final RFP please visit http://sfwater.org/custom/bid/planlist.cfm/bidtype/2/MC_ID/15/MSC_ID/147.