Today kicks off Public Power Week! A week when we celebrate the 2,000+ community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities that deliver clean, safe, affordable, and reliable power to more than 50 million Americans every day.  
  
Did you know that Hetch Hetchy Power is San Francisco’s public power utility and has been providing clean, reliable power for San Francisco for more than 100 years? Did you also know that San Francisco nearly had its own locally controlled power grid almost a century ago?  

The Raker Act of 1913, brokered by Congressman John Edward Raker, permitted the City to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park with a key condition: this dam must serve as the backbone for a public power system. 

However, the journey wasn't smooth. Despite steady progress building miles of transmission lines from Yosemite to the South Bay, financial challenges halted the City's efforts to run power lines all the way to San Francisco. At this pivotal moment, PG&E stepped in, agreeing to distribute the City's power using its existing infrastructure. What was intended as a temporary solution became a long-term dependency as PG&E, time and time again, fought measures to fund the City’s own power system. 

Today, San Francisco is determined to make good on the original intent of the Raker Act to ensure that our public power system serves the greater public good. That is why San Francisco’s leaders are united behind acquiring the local power grid from PG&E so that we can deliver clean, safe, reliable, and affordable public power to all San Franciscans.  

For over a century, Hetch Hetchy Power has been a cornerstone of clean public power for San Francisco. It powers San Francisco’s airport, public hospitals, police stations, firehouses, schools, and Muni transit system. CleanPowerSF is San Francisco’s community choice aggregation program that sources clean, renewable electricity for over 385,000 customers. Together, these two public power programs supply more than 75% of San Francisco's electricity.  

As we kick-off Public Power Week, we are reminded of the journey we have come as a public power provider and also the journey that stands ahead as we look to a future where we are able to take control of our energy destiny through public ownership of the grid. Learn more about the City’s efforts to expand public power at publicpowersf.org.  

We are excited to share more stories with you this week about Hetch Hetchy Power and the 'Our City. Our Power.' campaign. Happy Public Power Week!