REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Agreement with Vicki Vanderburg, Inc. dba Power Systems Operations (PSO) for VERA Settlements software application and Cloud Hosting
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara's Electric Utility dba Silicon Valley Power (SVP) uses the Validate, Estimate, Reconcile, Allocate (VERA) application software for its Power Trading Division to transmit power schedules to its joint agency partner and then the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). This allows SVP to complete real time logging, finalize comparisons with the actual meter reads at end of the month for transaction validation, purchase power settlement billing, and calculate and validate all CAISO related schedules. Over $53 million in SVP transactions scheduled through the CAISO were validated and settled in 2017.
DISCUSSION
The VERA software package is currently being utilized by SVP staff which have been trained, and are satisfied with its capabilities to meet SVP's needs. While current VERA data validation software package will require substantial changes in the existing algorithms and charge codes to properly validate CAISO transactions, it is more cost effective and efficient to make these changes on the existing package rather than consider a new software option. The changes are a result of the CAISO's actions in 2018 to create market enhancements, other ongoing changes, and new releases of CAISO models which impact all software tools options.
By entering into this Agreement, SVP will receive the current and future required modification and maintenance of the existing application software, along with application hosting services. The VERA software was designed and written by Power Systems Operations (PSO) for the purpose of validating CAISO settlements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action being considered does not constitute a "project" within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it...
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