Committee forwards Clean Power SF participation in GoLine long‑duration battery project to full board

The Budget and Finance Committee on May 4 heard presentations from Clean Power SF staff and BLA analysts and forwarded three agreements that will allow Clean Power SF to participate in the GoLine long‑duration battery storage project as a member of California Community Power.

Mike Hines of Clean Power SF explained that the GoLine project, developed by Onward Energy and sited in Escondido, is a 50‑megawatt lithium‑ion battery capable of storing 400 megawatt‑hours to discharge over an eight‑hour period. The project targets a commercial operation date of June 1, 2025. Clean Power SF’s share of contracted payments would not exceed $60,000,000 over a 15‑year operating term, with payments coming from Clean Power SF revenues and commencing at commercial operation.

Hines said the GoLine project and the previously approved Tumbleweed project together provide roughly 17.1 MW of capacity for compliance with the California Public Utilities Commission’s long‑duration storage order, giving Clean Power SF a ~10% margin for regulatory changes. The presenter noted the project will comply with California prevailing wage requirements and use a project or community labor agreement for construction.

Supervisors asked about wildfire and site risk in Southern California and whether energy stored would be verifiably renewable. Hines explained the facility is grid‑connected and charged from the wholesale market, so the electrons cannot be guaranteed as 100% renewable but pricing signals make daytime charging likely to capture abundant solar generation. The BLA recommended approval and the committee forwarded the agreements with a positive recommendation (3 ayes).

The committee directed staff to continue evaluating nearer‑term Bay Area project solicitations and to report back on outreach, transmission and wildfire‑risk mitigation as project contracts are finalized.