During the Dec. 5 meeting of the Santa Clara City Council, the Council approved placing ballot wording for a charter amendment that would turn the police chief and city clerk positions into positions appointed by the city manager. The Council also approved a 10% rate increase proposed by Silicon Valley Power (SVP) and an expenditure … Read more
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) will ask the Santa Clara City Council to increase rates across the board by 10%. The utility will make the request at the Dec. 5, 2023 Council meeting and ask that the rate increase go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024 with the new rates appearing on the February bills. SVP … Read more
Investigative reporter Erika Towne has turned the spotlight on Silicon Valley Power. What has been suspected, and has now been revealed, SVP has turned its autonomy into a power-hungry fiefdom. At a recent City Council meeting, SVP made it known that they would be requesting another rate increase. This would be the third increase within … Read more
Santa Clara’s power problem continues to go unchecked as Silicon Valley Power (SVP) prepares to introduce another rate increase and warns that plans for new data centers in the City could consume the rest of the City’s power supply. At the Oct. 10 City Council meeting, SVP’s Chief Electric Utility Officer Manuel Pineda told the … Read more
The Santa Clara City Council approved $81 million in spending for utilities, kicked a plan to remodel a home in the Old Quad neighborhood back to the homeowners, heard details about a plan for a joint powers authority for the cities in Santa Clara County, listened to public comment about a planned AT&T cell tower … Read more
By now you have read the stories or watched the Santa Clara City Council wrestle with the City’s structural deficit. In this case, structural means it will be with us into the future. Revenue is not enough to meet the obligations. And yes, it is true, the major demand on the budget is salaries. Mayor … Read more
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is talking about a new, mid-year rate increase, about six months after the last increase. In May, SVP is expected to bring the issue to the Santa Clara City Council. The utility wants to increase rates by 5% starting July 1, 2023. According to the City press release, “As you may … Read more
A new educational and historical center may be on the horizon for Santa Clara’s historic Morse Mansion on Fremont Street, thanks to some creative thinking from the City’s municipal electric company, Silicon Valley Power (SVP). Built in 1892 by “Seed King” Charles Copeland Morse, the mansion is the largest Queen Anne building remaining in the … Read more
An election year brings with it a tide of politicking. In 2022, as the election crept closer, the noise of that politicking grew to a cacophony. On the Santa Clara City Council, mudslinging, personal vendettas, finger-pointing, name-calling and accusations dominated meetings. In the months leading up to the race, it is common that little City … Read more
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) has received new accolades, this time from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). During the U.S. EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program Annual Partner Meeting on Nov. 17, SVP was awarded the RAD Champion Award as part of the third year of the RAD Leadership Awards Program. The RAD Champion award recognizes … Read more