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Power

The Bristol Gets Charged Up with SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy Power

The Bristol Gets Charged Up with SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy Power
  • Donald Pollitt II

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and electrifying vehicles is a key step in reducing their impact on the planet and as well as our local communities. As more San Franciscans contemplate going electric, having EV charging infrastructure at or close to home can make-or-break the choice about getting an electric vehicle.

The Bristol Gets Charged Up with SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy Power.

The Bristol, a brand-new residential development on Yerba Buena Island, is making that choice easier for current and future residents. As a Hetch Hetchy Power customer, The Bristol was able to take advantage of a new customer program offering that helped the property successfully finance and install more than 30 new EV charging stations in their parking structure.

Expanding electric vehicle charging access is not just a shared goal between the SFPUC and The Bristol, it also is City policy. In 2017, San Francisco passed an EV Readiness Ordinance requiring new construction projects to install sufficient electric capacity to serve electric vehicle charging. However, the ordinance did not go as far as to require that EV charging stations be installed in new projects.

That’s where EV Charge SF comes in – a new incentive program offered by the SFPUC. EV Charge SF is designed to help developers finance EV charging infrastructure in new construction projects in San Francisco. Through EV Charge SF, new residential and commercial buildings can take advantage of up to $120,000 in financial incentives to install EV chargers and related infrastructure. To qualify for the incentives the buildings must be served by either CleanPowerSF or Hetch Hetchy Power under a qualifying electric rate.

“EV charging was a goal for this project from Day 1,” said Brian Caruso, Owner’s Representative at Wilson Meany, the developer of The Bristol. “We want our residents to have reliable access to charge their vehicles, and partnering with EV Charge SF gave us an easy and cost-effective way to achieve our goals.”

With California banning the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035, The Bristol is planning for the future today - and they are already seeing resident demand for the newly installed infrastructure. Currently, 14 out of the 34 EV charging stations installed through EV Charge SF are being “100% utilized.” The Bristol is also offering two “public” chargers for residents without an assigned EV space. 

“Without this program and rebate, the project would not have been able to offer the EV charging program – at the level of quality and in the timeline – we wanted,” said Caruso. “The rebate was an attractive bonus, and the EV Charge SF program is something that all developers should be excited about participating in.” 

Much like The Bristol, the SFPUC’s EV Charge SF program is just getting started. New EV charging projects are underway at several customer sites, and funding is available for more projects for both CleanPowerSF and Hetch Hetchy Power customers. 

Interested in making EV charging a part of your new development or construction project? The SFPUC is here and ready to assist. Find out if your project is eligible for EV Charge SF by contacting powerprograms@sfwater.org or call (415) 554-0773.

Donald Pollitt II