Politics & Government

Energy Commission Approves Carlsbad Power Plant, City Officials Disappointed

By a 4-0 vote Thursday, the Energy Commission approved construction of a proposed 558-megawatt natural gas power plant in Carlsbad at a price tag above half a billion dollars.

officials expressed disappointment at Thursday’s action by the California Energy Commission to issue a permit for a new power plant in coastal Carlsbad, but expressed doubts the proposed project would ever get built.  

“We left no stone unturned in this process but, ultimately, the state has the authority to overrule local laws and disregard public concerns when it comes to approving new power plants,” said City of Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall. “It’s important to keep in mind there is still a long road ahead before this project sees the light of day, if ever.” 

Hall said the issues raised by the city and others opposed to the project remain valid and caused the review process to go on three-plus years longer than planned. These issues include:

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  • Today’s smaller, air-cooled plants do not need to be located near water and should instead be built in industrial areas away from the coast.
  • Once I-5 is widened, the plant would be dangerously close to the freeway and would be the closest power plant ever to a major highway.
  • Fire officials have said the proposed site, wedged between the I-5 freeway and railroad tracks, lacks sufficient access for fire engines and other emergency vehicles. A fire at a similar plant in Escondido in December 2011 highlighted this concern.
  • Since NRG does not have a contract to sell the power locally, power generated in San Diego would have no local benefit, but instead be used to power Los Angeles, Arizona or Las Vegas.

Energy Commissioner Karen Douglas, who is the presiding member for the committee reviewing the Carlsbad project said the electricity will benefit San Diego. “It will also reduce pollution by displacing electricity generated by other less efficient facilities, further California’s policy to avoid once-through cooling by facilitating retirement of the nearby Encina Power Station, and facilitate the integration of intermittent renewable energy resources such as wind and solar power.”

The estimated capital cost for the Carlsbad project would exceed $500 million. Construction would start during the first quarter of 2014 with commercial operations in the summer of 2016. The project would require a peak of 357 workers during construction. 

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The natural gas-fired, combined-cycle facility being proposed is scheduled to be built on a 23-acre portion of the existing Encina Power Station in Carlsbad. The applicant plans to retire the existing steam boiler Units 1, 2 and 3 at the Encina Power Station when the Carlsbad project is operational.

Among the requirements placed upon the project is the obligation to plan for and obtain permits for the removal of the existing Encina Power Station equipment, including the 400-foot high exhaust stack. The project developer must carry out those plans when electricity from the equipment is no longer needed to maintain grid reliability and a viable redevelopment plan is approved by the city of Carlsbad.

But City officials said NRG has made no guarantee that it would tear down the 58-year-old Encina Power Station if the new plant is approved, meaning that Carlsbad would be home to two power plants on its coast, and could consist of two 14-story smoke stacks and two nine-story industrial buildings. 

More information about the Carlsbad project can be found at: energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/carlsbad/index.html

To read more reaction from the city of Carlsbad go to: news.carlsbadca.gov/pr/ca/city-officials-disappointed-by-234625.aspx

Press Releases from the City of Carlsbad and the California Energy Commission contributed to this report.

What do you think of construction starting on this power plant in Carlsbad? Tell us in comments.


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