The California Energy Commission (Energy Commission) received a petition dated November 2, 2004, from Blythe Energy, LLC (BE, LLC) to modify the air quality conditions of certification for the Blythe Energy Power Plant Project. The 520-megawatt natural gas-fired combined cycle project was certified on March 21, 2001, and began commercial operation on December 29, 2003. The facility is located in the City of Blythe, Riverside County, California.

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED CHANGES

The proposed changes regard air emission requirements during startup and shutdown of the combustion turbines. BE, LLC is requesting increases to the startup and shutdown emissions limits for carbon monoxide (CO). BE, LLC is also requesting increases to the daily, and annual CO emission limits for the combustion equipment. Conditions of certification AQ-6, AQ-7, and AQ-8 would be modified accordingly. The hourly emission limit for CO during normal operation will not change. There will be no changes in the emission limits for any other air emission constituents. The stated reason for these changes is that the original manufacturer's estimates, on which the original startup and shutdown CO permit limits were based, have proven to be significantly lower than the actual emissions of the combustion equipment during these events.

The petition states that the original permit limits for CO emissions is unattainable. In addition to the above-cited changes, BE, LLC also proposes to simplify and consolidate the current NOx and CO emission limits and duration limits during hot, warm, and cold starts into single worst-case emission and duration limits for all startups and shutdowns.

ENERGY COMMISSION REVIEW PROCEDURES

The purpose of the Energy Commission's review process is to assess the impacts of this proposal on environmental quality, public health and safety. The review process includes an evaluation of the consistency of the proposed changes with the Energy Commission's Decision and if the project, as changed, will remain in compliance with applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards (Title 20, Calif. Code of Regulations, section 1769). Energy Commission staff is currently analyzing the request and will publish an analysis in the next several weeks. A public hearing for the purpose of approving or denying the amendment proposal will subsequently be held at a regularly scheduled Energy Commission business meeting.

This Notice of Receipt is being mailed to interested parties and property owners adjacent to the project site who may want to participate in the amendment process.

The petition to amend is available on the Energy Commission's webpage at http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/blythe/compliance/index.html. The staff analysis (when published) and the order (if approved) will also be posted on the webpage. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the petition to amend the project, staff's analysis, and/or the Energy Commission's order if the changes are approved, please complete the enclosed Information Request Form and return it to the address shown.

If you have questions, please contact Steve Munro, Compliance Project Manager, at (916) 654-3936. Please send comments by mail to:

Steve Munro, CPM
California Energy Commission
1516 9th Street, MS-2000
Sacramento, CA 95814

or by fax to (916) 654-3882, or via e-mail to: smunro@energy.state.ca.us by December 22, 2003.

For further information on how to participate in this proceeding, please contact Ms. Margret J. Kim, the Energy Commission's Public Adviser, at (916) 654-4489, or toll free in California at (800) 822-6228, or by e-mail to pao@energy.state.ca.us. If you require special accommodations, contact Lourdes Quiroz at (916) 654-5146. News media inquiries should be directed to Assistant Director, Claudia Chandler, at (916) 654-4989, or by e-mail to mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us.

Mail List #747

APPENDIX A

COMMITTEE SCHEDULE