A celebration of Public Power Week would not be complete without recognizing the tremendous work of the SFPUC's Power Enterprise employees, who keep vital City services running twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. 

Meet High Voltage Maintenance Lineworker, Michael “Yoga Mike” Conroy, who recently joined the SFPUC. As an electrical lineworker, Conroy’s day-to-day responsibilities vary. From helping other lineworkers, digging trenches, breaking and refinishing concrete, to installing new light poles and removing old ones, Conroy makes certain that all circuits are properly connected to ensure the street lights are on and working for San Franciscans. As part of the SFPUC Street Light Division, he supports public safety by keeping streetlights and traffic signals operational.

As a native San Franciscan, Conroy is extremely proud to work for the SFPUC and be part of a team that helps take care of the City where he grew up. He finds comfort in being able to learn new things on the job and attributes that to the hardworking and dedicated team around him. From his home family to his work family, both provide security and humor, making working as a lineworker both meaningful and fun.

So how did the name "Yoke Mike" come about? Used as an “Ice Breaker” during his SFPUC hiring interview, Conroy mentioned that he enjoyed yoga as a way to take care of himself, which in turn helps him perform his job as a lineworker with ease. However, he didn’t realize the lasting impact that name would have on the interview panel; hence, the nickname “Yoga Mike” was created. Now seen as a yoga expert, he is convinced that he’ll soon be leading a class for interested lineworkers in the future.

As a public power provider, the SFPUC can thrive due to hardworking employees who care about the community and take pride in serving the residents of San Francisco. The SFPUC Power Enterprise delivers two services, Hetch Hetchy Power and CleanPowerSF, which help tackle the climate crisis by using wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power - instead of dirty fossil fuels - to serve the electricity needs of our customers in San Francisco. Keeping the lights on is a 24/7/365 commitment that Conroy takes pride in to ensure a brighter, sustainable, and reliable future for San Francisco. 

To learn more about the City's efforts to expand public power in San Francisco, visit www.publicpowersf.org.