To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Public Infrastructure
Staff Name and Phone Number: Johannes J. Hoevertsz, 707-565-2550
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Pacific Gas and Electric’s EV Fleet Electrification Program Agreement and Easement to PG&E for Sonoma County Transit’s Bus Charging Facility Project
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Ratify the prior execution by the Director of Sonoma Public Infrastructure of the Letter of Commitment and Contract to participate in Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) EV Fleet Electrification Program;
B) Authorize the Director of Public Infrastructure to negotiate and execute a no-charge Easement Deed, in form approved by County Counsel, to PG&E, as Grantee, as required by the EV Fleet Electrification Program Letter of Commitment and Contract, across a portion of Sonoma County Transit’s bus facility at 355 West Robles Avenue, Santa Rosa, for purposes of infrastructure needed for Transit’s planned bus charging facility;
C) Find that the Easement Deed is in the public interest and that the use of the Transit facility pursuant to the Easement will not substantially conflict or interfere with County use.
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Executive Summary:
The Director of Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (SPI) requests Board ratification of the Letter of Commitment for County participation in PG&E’s EV Fleet Electrification program. Participation in the program will avail Sonoma County Transit to PG&E rebates based on the number of chargers installed and the number of vehicles operated through 2026. To participate, PG&E requires a non-exclusive, no-charge Easement Deed across a portion of Sonoma County Transit’s bus facility at 355 West Robles Avenue, Santa Rosa for PG&E to install electrical service connection infrastructure for Transit’s planned bus charging facility. Board ratification of the Letter of Commitment and approval of the Easement will support the Board’s strategic goal of Climate Action and Resiliency by enabling Sonoma County Transit to increase the electrification of its bus fleet.
Discussion:
Sonoma County Transit is undertaking a project to upgrade its existing bus facility to accommodate Transit’s new electric buses. The project includes a new charging facility with the capacity to charge up to 19 buses at one time, and is estimated to cost $4.1 Million (funding for which is already allocated in the FY 2023-24 budget). To increase electrical capacity needed for the facility, new electrical lines and associated utilities are needed.
In October 2022, Sonoma County Transit received approval from PG&E to enter its EV Fleet Electrification program. The Letter and Contract, among other things, require the following:
1. A ten-year commitment to PG&E, starting once the EV charging station is operational;
2. Requirement to provide PG&E an easement over County property for the PG&E-owned and -maintained infrastructure that will be part of the EV charging station;
3. A County guarantee of minimum demand and usage, based on the 28 electric buses that are anticipated for Fleet addition. All electricity to be used must be PG&E-supplied, to be charged at PG&E retail rates;
4. County liability for any upstream grid damage due to usage during prohibited peak hours; and
5. Consent to release of EV station usage data.
PG&E has estimated that when completed, Sonoma County Transit is eligible for up to $870,000 in rebates from participating in the program. Since October 2022, Sonoma County Transit and its project engineers have been working with PG&E to coordinate PG&E’s expanded power delivery to the Transit Facility.
As required by the Letter of Commitment, PG&E sent Sonoma County Transit a proposed, standard Easement Deed for an easement to PG&E across a portion of Transit’s West Robles Avenue bus facility. The easement would enable PG&E to install and maintain PG&E-owned infrastructure to connect to Transit’s EV charging station. Whereas normally any such infrastructure beyond the meter would be County-owned and -maintained, under the Letter of Commitment PG&E will fund, install, and maintain that connection infrastructure. An Easement therefor is needed for that infrastructure to be installed in and across the County’s property long-term.
The proposed Easement Deed would allow PG&E to, among other things, construct, maintain, and use electrical infrastructure facilities such as underground conduits and wires, service boxes, and electrical conductors and underground and aboveground switches, transformers, electric vehicle charging supply equipment, safety equipment, associated signage, and necessary fixtures and appurtenances. The Easement and the facilities would be located in a strip of land 10 feet wide.
Pursuant to the Letter of Commitment, the Easement will be given for free, due to the infrastructure being of service to the County’s charger project.
Approval of the execution of the Letter of Commitment and authorization of the proposed Easement will support both Sonoma County Transit’s planned bus charging facility and the Board’s strategic goal of Climate Action and Resiliency.
County staff have determined that the Easement Deed provided by PG&E will not interfere with any existing or planned use of the affected easement area by Sonoma County Transit.
Project Costs and Construction Schedule. Construction is expected to commence in March 2024.
Procedural Authority. If in the public interest and if the use will not interfere with County’s use of the subject property, Government Code section 25526.6 allows the County to grant or convey an easement for use of County real property to any public utility, on terms and conditions as determined by the County. Here, the Easement will be located in space that is not used by any Transit facility, and most of the electrical infrastructure will be located underground and out of the way of Transit facility operations. The electrical infrastructure upgrades are needed in support of the project to convert Sonoma County Transit’s fleet to electric. The Easement Deed will contain an express prohibition on PG&E interference with or disruption of Transit operations and access rights at the site.
Strategic Plan:
Climate Action and Resiliency
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 23-24 Adopted |
FY24-25 Projected |
FY 25-26 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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$ 0 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
A projected rebate of up to $870,000 will be available to Sonoma County Transit by 2026.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
1 - Easement Deed
2 - Electric Vehicle Commitment agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None