REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Delegate Authority to the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute Amendments to Agreements for Design Professional Services for Silicon Valley Power’s System Capacity Expansion Planning Including Development of a Twenty-Year Long-Term Strategy Plan for System Growth, Master Agreements for Plan Implementation Services, and Master Agreements for General Consulting Services
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) has provided electric service for over 125 years and is experiencing significant continued growth. SVP has developed a capital improvement strategy to address near-term and long-term potential load growth. In 2021, SVP recorded a peak load of nearly 600 Megawatt (MW) and delivered approximately 4,100 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) to customers. In 2022, SVP’s recorded peak load increased to 702 MW, and energy delivery rose to 4,550 GWh. This represents an approximate 10% increase in energy delivery and represents the largest year-over-year growth in the last 30 years.
On October 13, 2020, City Council approved (Council Item 20-854) the following Agreements for Design Professional Services:
• Agreement with Electrical Consultants, Inc (ECI) with a maximum compensation not to exceed $850,000 to complete a System Expansion Plan including a Three-Year Growth Plan Strategy;
• Master agreements for Plan Implementation Services with a maximum compensation not to exceed $3,000,000 per agreement with (1) 1898 & Co., (2) TRC Solutions, Inc., (3) ECI, (4) AECOM Technical Services, Inc., and (5) Stantec Consulting Services Inc.; and
• Master agreements for general consulting services with a maximum compensation not to exceed $2,000,000 per agreement with (1) Advisian Worley Group, (2) TRC Solutions, Inc., (3) Leidos Engineering, LLC, (4) Flynn Resource Consultants, Inc. and (5) EN Engineering LLC.
When a specific project is identified, SVP issues a call for proposals that invites these prequalified consultants to submit their proposals. The award for each project is determined based on factors such as expertise in the specific area of work needed, staff availability, project approach, proposed scope of services, project schedule/completion dates, and verification that cost is reasonable for the services.
When the agreements were approved on October 13, 2020, the total maximum compensation for the ten (10) master agreements was authorized with an aggregate maximum compensation of $25 million over a five-year period. On May 13, 2022, the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with AECOM Technical Services Inc., increasing the maximum compensation from $3 million to $11 million for additional program management services related to the System Expansion Plan. This authorization increased the total aggregate compensation for the ten (10) agreements to $33 million. On October 4, 2022, the City Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute amendments to the ten (10) agreements, resulting in a new total aggregate compensation of $50 million.
On September 28, 2021 (Council Item 21-871), the Council accepted SVP’s Three-Year Growth Plan Strategy which identified $300 million of proposed projects to install new facilities and to replace aged infrastructure with higher capacity infrastructure on an as-needed basis. On November 15, 2022 (Council Item 22-1172), the City Council accepted SVP’s System Expansion Plan for the California Independent Operator’s (CAISO) Transmission Planning Process (TPP) FY2023/24 (SVP System Expansion Plan TPP FY2023/24).
In the SVP System Expansion Plan TPP FY2023/24, SVP anticipates a peak system load of 819MW in 2025 and peak load of 1,306 MW in 2032. Compared to the 2022 peak load of 702 MW, this projection represents an increase of nearly 117 MW by 2025. SVP System Expansion Plan TPP FY2023/24 identifies both near-term and ten-year improvements required for SVP to maintain electric service reliability with consideration of the projected load growth. The SVP System Expansion Plan TPP FY2023/24 provides detailed information and a technical basis for the completed analysis, including a summary of proposed projects. These projects are in addition to those previously presented to Council. To maintain electric service reliability and meet project growth, SVP requires engineering support in three areas: (1) System Expansion Planning, (2) General Consulting, and (3) Plan Implementation.
DISCUSSION
Under its agreement with the City, ECI has provided consultant support for the CAISO’s Annual TPP and completed a Three-Year Growth Plan Strategy. SVP requires additional related services from ECI, including, (1) a twenty-year long-term strategy plan for system growth; and (2) support for upcoming CAISO TPP studies. The twenty-year long-term strategy plan and study will address, among other things, reach codes (local energy code amendments intended to strengthen emissions reductions) and impacts of electrification and decarbonization to SVP’s transmission and distribution electrical systems. To complete these additional services, SVP will require an increase in the maximum compensation of the ECI agreement for the system expansion plan from $850,000 to $1,500,000 and extension of the term through December 31, 2025.
The System Expansion Plan has led to a significant increase in the SVP’s Capital Improvement Project (CIP) backlog. Managing and delivering these projects from detailed design through construction necessitates the augmentation of staff by hiring outside engineering firms who possess the necessary technical knowledge and expertise to support SVP. For example, the System Expansion Plan includes the following proposed projects as well as other projects not listed:
• NRS Transformer and Breaker Upgrades
• Kifer Receiving Station (KRS) & Scott Receiving Station (SRS) Rebuild and Replacement
• NRS-KRS 115kV Line Replacement
• South Loop Reconductor
• Northwest Loop Capacity Upgrade
• Walsh-Uranium 60kV Reconductor
The proposed projects include replacement of aging infrastructure and installation of new facilities to allow higher internal system capacity. These projects will include the addition of new internal 60kV transmission loops and implementation of reliability upgrades, including replacing or reconductoring transmission lines. For the new 60kV loops, it is important to note that the first step in the process is to determine technical feasibility (design). Additional CAISO transmission capacity would be required to fully take advantage of the increased internal capacity.
As identified in the Three-Year Growth Plan Strategy and SVP System Expansion Plan TPP FY2023/24, the combined cost of these CIP projects is estimated at nearly $500 million. Of this total amount, approximately 20% to 25% is attributed to engineering services such as design and construction management. In addition, to ensure that dedicated developer substations are built to SVP standards and connect properly to SVP’s electric system, SVP provides engineering services to developers who design and build their own substation with costs recovered from those developers. Design, equipment, and construction project costs for substations built by developers are not included in the $500 million budget. Therefore, total estimated engineering costs may exceed the 20 - 25% to account for costs of engineering for projects that are not included in SVP’s CIP budget. To assure sufficient support to complete the System Expansion Plan and meet schedule commitments to developers while assuring SVP standards are met, SVP requires an increase of $30 million in aggregate maximum compensation for agreements for general consulting and plan implementation services. This will amend previous authorizations and allow SVP to spread $80 million among the master agreements. SVP will initiate amendments after selection of consultants following the call for proposals process described in the background of this report. SVP staff manages the aggregate compensation to assure that no services are approved that will result in exceeding the aggregate maximum compensation.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
These proposed actions involve the approval of amendments to existing agreements for program and project management services. Any associated capital improvements have been or will be evaluated under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). Therefore, the proposed actions and do not constitute a “project” within the meaning of CEQA pursuant to section 15061(b)(3) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed approvals will have a significant effect on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds for these amendments are included in the capital budget for each project for Fiscal Year 2023/2024. Funding for specific projects is allocated in the Electric Utility Fund in the FY2023/24 Capital Improvement Budget, such as the NRS Transformer and Breaker Upgrades (CIP 2454), NRS-KRS 115kV Line (CIP 2455), KRS Rebuild and Replacement (CIP 2453), Laurelwood Substation (CIP 2443), Democracy Substation (CIP 2464), Transmission Loop 1 (CIP 2459), and Transmission Loop 2 (CIP 2463). Additional budget appropriations will be required for the Transmission Loop projects. Required actions will be brought forward to City Council for approval of the project and associated budget after design. It is anticipated that costs will be recovered through developer contributions. As the System Expansion Plan and design and construction of developer funded substations progress, the costs and timelines will be revised and updated, and budget adjustments will be requested at that time if required.
Funds required for these agreements in future years are subject to budget appropriations and will be incorporated into the budget development process for those years. In the event the authorized budget for a project will be exceeded, budgetary actions will be brought forward to Council as needed to cover such services in advance of authorizing those services.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department and City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an amendment to the Agreement for Design Professional Services with Electrical Consultants, Inc (ECI Agreement) for additional services associated with the System Expansion Plan increasing the maximum compensation to $1,500,000 and extending the term of the agreement until December 31, 2025, funded by the Electric Utility Capital Fund;
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute amendments to the following Agreements for Design Professional Services (Master Agreements) for Silicon Valley Power’s System Expansion Plan with an additional aggregate maximum compensation of $30 million for a new aggregate maximum compensation of $80 million funded by the Electric Utility Capital Fund and allocated as SVP may require, subject to the appropriation of funds: (A) general consulting services with; (i) Advisian Worley Group; (ii) TRC Solutions, Inc.; (iii) Leidos Engineering LLC; (iv) Flynn Resource Consultants, Inc.; and (v) EN Engineering LLC; and (B) For plan implementation services with: (i) Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. (formerly 1898 & Co.); (ii) TRC Solutions, Inc.; (iii) ECI; (iv) AECOM Technical Services, Inc.; and (v) Stantec Consulting Services Inc
3. Authorize the City Manager to take any actions as necessary to implement and administer the ECI Agreement and Master Agreements and to negotiate and execute amendments to those agreements to (a) add or delete services consistent with their scope of services; (b) adjust future rates; and (c) extend their term of the agreement to complete projects initiated during the authorized term; and
4. All amendments included in this authorization shall be subject to the review and approval as to form by the City Attorney.
Staff
Reviewed by: Manuel Pineda, Chief Electric Utility Officer
Approved by: Jōvan D. Grogan, City Manager