SEC. 8B.124. WATER, CLEAN WATER, AND POWER REVENUE BONDS.
§ 8B.124
The Public Utilities Commission is authorized to issue revenue bonds (with Board of Supervisors approval by two-thirds vote) to fund water, clean water, and power infrastructure projects, but cannot finance fossil fuel or nuclear power plants; bond issuance requires certification that projects meet utility standards and can generate sufficient revenue for repayment, and must comply with environmental law.
The city's water and power agency can borrow money by selling bonds to pay for building, fixing, or improving water and power systems. Before doing this, the Board of Supervisors must approve it by a two-thirds vote. The agency cannot use bond money to build power plants that use fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Before issuing bonds, an independent engineer must confirm that the projects meet industry standards and will produce enough income to pay back the debt, and a city planner must confirm the projects follow environmental laws.
- Complex:The section interweaves authorization authority, charter references, negative restrictions (what cannot be financed), procedural requirements (engineer and planning certifications), and state law incorporation, making it dense and cross-referential.
- Controversial:The prohibition on fossil fuel and nuclear power plant financing is a policy choice that reflects environmental values; reasonable people disagree about energy infrastructure priorities and the appropriate role of municipal regulation in that debate.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
Notwithstanding, and in addition to, the authority granted under Charter Section 9.107, the Public Utilities Commission is hereby authorized to issue revenue bonds, including notes, commercial paper, or other forms of indebtedness, when authorized by ordinance approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Supervisors, for the purpose of reconstructing, replacing, expanding, repairing, or improving water facilities, clean water facilities, power facilities, or combinations of water, clean water, and power facilities under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission or for any other lawful purpose of the water, clean water, or power utilities of the City in furtherance of the purposes herein provided. The Public Utilities Commission shall endeavor to finance new power facilities that increase delivery of clean energy, enhance reliability and safety, and increase sustainability by incorporating technologies like energy storage and electric vehicle charging, as well as other technologies that become available. In no event shall the Public Utilities Commission finance construction of a power plant that generates electricity using fossil fuels or nuclear energy.
Any legislation authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds (except for refunding bonds) under this section shall be subject to the referendum requirements of Section 14.102 of this Charter. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of such revenue bonds shall not become effective until 30 days after its adoption.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter or of any ordinance of the City and County, the Board of Supervisors may take any and all actions necessary to authorize, issue and repay such bonds, including, but not limited to, modifying schedules of rates and charges to provide for the payment and retirement of such bonds, subject to the following conditions:
(a) Certification by an independent engineer retained by the Public Utilities Commission that:
(1) the projects to be financed by the bonds, including the prioritization, cost estimates and scheduling, meet utility standards; and
(2) that estimated net revenue after payment of operating and maintenance expenses will be sufficient to meet debt service coverage and other indenture or resolution requirements, including debt service on the bonds to be issued, and estimated repair and replacement costs.
(b) Certification by the San Francisco Planning Department that facilities under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission funded with such bonds will comply with applicable requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.
Except as expressly provided in this Charter, all revenue bonds may be issued and sold in accordance with state law or any procedure provided for by ordinance of the Board of Supervisors.
(Added November 2002; amended by Proposition A, Approved 6/5/2018)