October is not only for pumpkin-spiced lattes, cozy sweaters, and spooky Halloween costumes. It’s also National Energy Awareness Month! 

As we close out October, we encourage you to take a few minutes to learn more about energy vampires (they do exist!), where most of San Francisco’s electricity comes from, and what actions you can take to prioritize clean energy and the environment. 

Our Clean Energy Programs 

At the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), we operate two clean power programs: CleanPowerSF and Hetch Hetchy Power. CleanPowerSF powers about 385,000 customers in San Francisco with electricity generated from renewable resources like the sun and wind. Hetch Hetchy Power, the City’s public power utility for over a century, energizes municipal services like MUNI, the City’s General Hospital, public housing, and some major developments like the Salesforce Transit Center. Collectively, the two programs serve about 75% of the electricity consumed in San Francisco today.  

Energy Sources 

So where does all that power for San Francisco come from?  

Hetch Hetchy Power generates energy from a familiar place—the Hetch Hetchy reservoir! That’s right, the same tap water you drink in San Francisco also powers a lot of the City, too. Hetch Hetchy Power also owns and operates various solar arrays throughout the City, like the one on top of the Sunset Reservoir. This also provides renewable energy for our customers and San Francisco. 

CleanPowerSF sources energy from a wide variety of renewable sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric (moving water) and geothermal (heat within the Earth). CleanPowerSF gets a lot of its energy from renewable energy projects right here in California. In fact, CleanPowerSF and its customers even help spur new clean energy projects within the state. 

Take Action This October 

Clean energy has never been more important. Switching from oil and gas to clean electricity like solar power helps fight climate change and create healthier, more sustainable communities in San Francisco. Ready to make progress, together? Here are some ideas this month: 

• Check out ways to use less electricity at home to reduce your impact on the environment. 
• Watch our recent webinar discussing grid reliability in the face of a changing climate.  
• Upgrade to 100% renewable electricity SuperGreen service for just a few dollars more per month if you’re a CleanPowerSF customer. 
• Move on with clean, electric appliances and say goodbye to gas-powered ones.