For immediate release: August 12, 1999
Media Contact: Claudia Chandler -- 916 654-4989
Energy Commission to Begin Review of
Moss Landing Modernization Project
Sacramento-The California Energy Commission has voted to begin the review process for the proposed modernization of the Moss Landing power generating facility in Monterey County, a $475 million project from Duke Energy Power Services.On Wednesday, the five-member Energy Commission voted unanimously to accept Duke Energy's "Application for Certification." The vote begins a 12-month process to ensure plans to generate 1206 megawatts of electric power at Moss Landing will comply with provisions of the WarrenÐAlquist Act and the California Environmental Quality Act.
The location of the proposed project is at the existing Moss Landing Power Plant, 12 miles northwest of Salinas, at the intersection of Highway 1 and Dolan Road, east of the community of Moss Landing.
As submitted to the Commission for licensing review, Duke Energy Power Service's Moss Landing modernization proposal involves replacing five existing generators with two more efficient units. The new plant is expected to operate approximately 40 percent more efficiently than the old unit it replaces. It will feature a combined cycle design that allows waste heat in the exhaust to be used to create steam and drive a third generator, creating one-third of the total output of the new facility. The proposal also calls for the removal of eight 225-foot stacks and 10 large oil tanks.
The Energy Commission is responsible for reviewing and ultimately approving or denying licenses for thermal electric power plants, 50 megawatts and greater, proposed for construction in California.
The Energy Commission's facility certification process carefully examines public health and safety issues, environmental impacts, and engineering aspects of proposed power plants and all related facilities such as electric transmission lines, natural gas pipelines and water lines.
The Energy Commission's responsibilities are similar and equivalent to those of a lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Current Electrical Generation Project Proposals
The Moss Landing Modernization project is the most recent of 11 electrical generation proposals that has been brought to the Energy Commission for licensing in the past two years.
On April 14, 1999, the Energy Commission voted to approve the $300 million, 500-megawatt Sutter Power Project to be located seven miles southwest of Yuba City.
Here are the nine other projects that are now in the review process, along with the cities or counties in which they are to be located and the anticipated size and cost of each facility.
The Commission's Web Site provides information on all these projects at:
- Delta Energy Center, Contra Costa County, (880 megawatts), $350Ð450 million
- Elk Hills Power Project, Kern County, (500 megawatts), $300 million
- High Desert Power Plant Project, Victorville, San Bernardino County, (680-720 megawatts), $350 + million
- La Paloma Generating Project, Kern County, (1,048 megawatts), $500 million
- Metcalf Energy Center, San Jose, Santa Clara County, (600 megawatts), $300-400 million
- Otay Mesa Power Project, San Diego County, (510 megawatts), $300 million
- Pittsburg District Energy Facility, Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, (500 megawatts), $300 million
- Sunrise Cogeneration, Kern County, (320 megawatts), $250 million
- Three Mountain Power Project, Burney, Shasta County, (500 megawatts), $300 million
www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/index.html Information about the proposed Moss Landing Modernization project is located at:
www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/mosslanding/index.html
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