REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Professional Services Agreement Between Northern California Power Agency and the Cities of Palo Alto and Santa Clara for Consulting Services Related to Electric Transmission, Power Generation, Regulatory and Electric Market Design
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara and its Electric Department, Silicon Valley Power (SVP), participate in the California energy industry and are subject to regular changes in regulation and market requirements developed by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), California Energy Commission (CEC) and other agencies that can have large impacts on customer rates and reliability. In order to analyze these changes and to make effective and appropriate comments, SVP has contracted with Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) to obtain the assistance of industry transmission experts. The Cities of Santa Clara and Palo Alto jointly contracts with NCPA as the Bay Area Municipal Transmission (BAMx) participants and NCPA contracts with the appropriate industry experts to provide the services. The BAMx participants have been contracting out these services for the last 17 years. The current contract is set to expire on December 31, 2020.
NCPA sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP) to find the appropriate consultant to provide such services. Of the two responding entities, NCPA found that Flynn Resources Consultant Inc. (Flynn RCI) was the most responsive to the request, as well as being highly experienced and qualified to provide the necessary services. These services include monitoring CAISO and PG&E transmission planning activities, analyzing specific cost impacts, meeting participation, coordinating with affected or other parties, and, as necessary, preparing formal position submittals to the CAISO, CEC and other parties on transmission and grid planning issues.
DISCUSSION
Approval of ...
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