For immediate release: August 8, 2003
Contact: Chris Davis (916) 654-4989
Commission Panel Recommends Approval
Of Santa Clara Power Plant Proposal
Sacramento - The Pico Power Project proposed by Silicon Valley Power, the city of Santa Clara's electricity provider, should be licensed by the Energy Commission. That is the conclusion of the Presiding Member's Proposed Decision released today by the Committee, made up of two Energy Commissioners assigned to see the proposal through the California Energy Commission's power plant review process. The document also includes conditions of certification that are meant to insure the project is designed, constructed and operated in a manner that protects the environment along with public health and safety.
The Presiding Member's Proposed Decision for the Pico Power Project is available on the Energy Commission's website at:
www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/picopower/documents
The application from Silicon Valley Power is for a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle electric generating facility to be located on a 2.85-acre parcel on Duane Avenue in the city of Santa Clara. Two combustion-turbine generators would be combined with a single condensing-steam turbine to produce 122-megawatts with the ability to provide up to 147 megawatts during periods of peak demand. Water to cool the power plant would be tertiary-treated, recycled wastewater supplied by the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant.
If approved, construction of the Pico Power Project is expected to take 18 to 20 months, at a cost of $155 million to $165 million.
The Presiding Member's Proposed Decision is not the final decision on the Pico Power Project. The full Energy Commission must vote whether to license the plant. Before that vote can take place, the proposed decision will be available for a 30-day review and comment period, which ends September 8, 2003.
Written comments should be addressed to:
California Energy Commission
Docket Unit, MS-4
Attn: Docket No. 01-AFC-19
1516 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-5512
In addition, the Pico Power Project Siting Committee, consisting of Energy Commissioner John Geesman as Presiding Member and Commissioner Arthur H. Rosenfeld as Associate Member, will hold a public conference to solicit comments on the proposed decision on:
Public participation is an important part of the Energy Commission's licensing process. To find out how to get involved, contact the Energy Commission's Public Adviser, Roberta Mendonca, toll free, at (800) 822-6228, or by e-mail at:
pao@energy.state.ca.us
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