Silicon Valley Power
| Company type | Nonprofit municipal electric utility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electric utility |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara , United States |
Area served | Santa Clara, California |
| Products | Electricity, dark fiber network services |
| Parent | City of Santa Clara |
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is a nonprofit municipal electric utility owned by the City of Santa Clara. It serves approximately 55,116 residential and commercial customers, including prominent companies such as Intel, Applied Materials, Owens Corning, and NVIDIA. Additionally, SVP manages the SVP Fiber Enterprise dark fiber network.
History
Established in 1896, the electric department of Santa Clara began by installing 46 streetlights powered by a direct current generator. Between 1904 and 1965, electricity was procured from United Gas and Electric Company, which later became part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. In 1965, the utility transitioned to purchasing power from the Central Valley Project (CVP), administered by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. Three years later, in 1968, Santa Clara became a founding member of the Northern California Power Agency (NCPA), aiming to collaboratively develop affordable energy resources.
In 1980, Santa Clara restarted its own energy production with a 6-megawatt (MW) natural gas cogeneration facility—the first of three such plants within the city. By 1983, together with NCPA partners, it became one of the first U.S. municipalities to operate a publicly-owned geothermal facility: the 110 MW NCPA Geothermal Project located at The Geysers, where Santa Clara holds a majority 55% ownership.
The utility adopted the name Silicon Valley Power in 1998 and subsequently broadened its energy assets by adding the Donald Von Raesfeld combined cycle natural gas plant in 2005, entering into partnerships for wind and hydroelectric power generation, and acquiring a 25% stake in the Lodi Energy Center combined cycle natural gas facility in 2012.
In 2007, SVP introduced Santa Clara Green Power to provide customers with renewable energy alternatives; by 2012, more than 38% of its electricity supply originated from green sources. The utility also oversees an extensive dark fiber optic network through SVP Fiber Enterprise.
In 2013, SVP launched free outdoor Wi-Fi service across the city using its AMI wireless infrastructure under the brand SVP MeterConnect and installed electric vehicle charging stations at strategic city locations. The complete deployment of its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system was planned for 2015–2016.
Power portfolio
As of 2017, SVP’s electricity generation mix included 38% from eligible renewable resources according to the California Energy Commission standards, 34% derived from large hydroelectric power, 16% from natural gas sources, 9% from coal-fired generation, and the remaining 3% from other unspecified origins. In 2018, total retail electricity sales reached 3.57 billion kWh.
Facilities
Locally owned generating assets within Santa Clara accounted for supplying 32.5% of the city’s electricity demand. These include natural gas facilities such as the Donald Von Raesfeld Power Plant (147.8 MW), Gianera Generating Station (49.5 MW), and Cogeneration Plant #1 (7 MW). Solar power is produced at the Jenny Strand Solar R&D Park (100 kW) and Tasman Parking Structure Solar PV installation (400 kW), complemented by a methane capture system generating 750 kW at a closed landfill site. Furthermore, SVP possesses a 230-kV transmission line that transmits power sourced externally.
Beyond city limits, SVP owns hydroelectric projects at Stony Creek and Grizzly. As part of Joint Power Agencies like NCPA—which operates hydroelectric, natural gas, and geothermal facilities—and M-S-R—which manages coal and wind generation—SVP enhances its energy portfolio. The utility also maintains power purchase agreements with Iberdrola and Seawest LLC for wind energy; Western Area Power Association, Tri-Dam Project, and Friant Power Authority for hydroelectric power; Recurrent Energy for solar; as well as G2 Energy and Ameresco for landfill gas projects.
Electricity generated outside SVP’s own facilities is delivered via PG&E transmission infrastructure overseen by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Additionally, SVP participates in the Transmission Agency of Northern California (TANC), which is interconnected with PG&E’s grid system.
Regulatory agencies
SVP adheres to both federal and California state regulations and maintains communication with various oversight organizations, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), California Energy Commission (CEC), CAISO, California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), Bay Area Air Quality Management District, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Department of Transportation, and the California Air Resources Board.
Executives
The governance of SVP is overseen by the City of Santa Clara City Council, operating through the city manager. The Director of Electric Utility, who answers directly to the city manager, is responsible for managing the utility's operations.