The California Energy Commission is the State agency granted exclusive authority to review and license proposals to construct and operate large electric power plants. On November 6, 2006, Bullard Energy Center, LLC, submitted an Application for Certification (AFC) to construct and operate a 200 megawatt simple-cycle (peaking) power plant, the Bullard Energy Center (BEC), in Fresno, California. A Committee of the Commission will begin the regulatory review process by conducting a Public Informational Hearing and Site Visit as described below:

The Informational Hearing and Site Visit are the initial steps of the Commission's year-long public power plant evaluation process, which contains requirements equivalent to those under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to review all relevant environmental and engineering aspects of the proposed project.

At the Informational Hearing, members of the general public, landowners, and representatives of other governmental agencies will have an opportunity to obtain information and offer comments on the proposal. The Applicant will explain its plans for developing the proposed site and related facilities. The Energy Commission staff will explain the regulatory review process and staff's role as independent experts in analyzing the project. The Applicant and the staff will also discuss possible issues that may be significant during the remainder of the proceeding.

The Informational Hearing will be preceded by a tour of the proposed site. Persons intending to attend the Site Visit should gather at the school parking lot at 4:00 p.m. The Applicant will provide bus transportation.

Wednesday February 7, 2007
Beginning at 4:00 p.m.


Rio Vista Middle School,
6240 West Palo Alto Avenue
Fresno, CA 93722

The proposed BEC project would be a 200 megawatts (MW) simple-cycle power plant located in the City of Fresno. The BEC is designed as a peaking facility to meet electric generation load during periods of high demand, generally during summer daytime hours. The applicant has a 20-year contract with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) as a result of the 2004 PG&E Request for Offers for new generation resources.

The proposed 12.3-acre BEC site is located at 5829 North Golden State Boulevard, in the City of Fresno. This parcel is zoned M-1 (light industrial use) and is located in an industrial area. A truck depot, and construction equipment fabrication and storage yard are currently located on this site. There would also be a temporary construction laydown and parking site on a 9.2-acre parcel located immediately to the north of the plant site.

The generating facility will include two General Electric (GE) LMS100 natural gas-fired combustion turbine generators (CTGs), inlet air filters with evaporative coolers, a turbine compressor section inter-cooler, a mechanical draft cooling tower, circulating water pumps, water treatment equipment, natural gas compressors, generator step-up and auxiliary transformers, and a water storage tank.

A new 230 kV looping substation will be constructed on-site, tying into the east side of the existing PG&E Herndon-Kearney 230 kV line, which runs across the southwest corner of the site. Approximately two miles of the existing 230 kV transmission line will require re-conductoring.

The project will connect to a PG&E natural gas pipeline approximately 9,500 feet west of the site. The primary pipeline route will convey gas via a new pipeline up to 12 inches in diameter along West Bullard Avenue to North Golden State Boulevard, and then south to the site. Two alternate routes involve the same PG&E gas connection location, running north along North Garfield Avenue to Herndon Avenue, then south along North Golden State Boulevard and North Weber Street to the site.

BEC process water consumption would be for combustion turbine water injection, cooling tower makeup, inlet evaporative cooler makeup, and plant service water. A maximum of 671 acre-feet would be provided by the City of Fresno from a water main located near the southeast corner of the site along North Golden State Boulevard will be extended approximately 300 feet, to the northeast corner of the site.

Wastewaters from the project will consist of cooling tower blowdown and process water treatment residue. Wastewater will be conveyed for treatment to the City of Fresno sewer system via a new 14-inch diameter, 1,500-foot sewer line along North Golden State Boulevard.

Air emissions from the proposed facility would be controlled using best available control technology. The two combustion turbine generators will be equipped with water injection to the combustors for reducing production of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), a selective catalytic reduction system with ammonia injection to further reduce NOx emissions and an oxidation catalyst to reduce carbon monoxide emissions. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will conduct a New Source Review and provide the Energy Commission with a Determination of Compliance reviewing the proposed project's compliance with District rules and regulations.

If licensed, project construction would start in 2008, and commercial operation planned by summer 2009.

In order to assist participants in understanding the project, the Commission Staff will prepare and file by February 1, 2007, an Issue Identification Report summarizing the potential major issues in the proceeding. Copies of this document may be obtained by calling the Commission's Project Manager, or through the Commission's Web Site at:

www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/bullard/

The environmental and engineering details of the proposed project are contained in the Application for Certification (AFC). Copies of the AFC are available locally at; Fresno County Library Central Headquarters 2420 Mariposa Street Fresno, CA 93721, Pinedale Branch Library 7170 N. San Pablo Avenue Pinedale, CA 93650, Fig Garden Regional Library 3071 W. Bullard Ave Fresno, CA 93711, Gillis Branch Library 629 W. Dakota Ave Fresno, CA 93705.

Members of the public may participate in all phases of the licensing process in a variety of ways. If you need information concerning public participation, please contact 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 at: pao@energy.state.ca.us.

Information concerning the status of the project, notices and other relevant documents are available on the Commission's Web Site at:

www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/bullard

If you have a disability and need assistance to participate in the Informational Hearing and/or Site Visit, please contact Lou Quiroz at least five (5) days before the hearing at 916-654-5146 or email at:lquiroz@energy.state.ca.us

Technical questions concerning the project should be addressed to the Energy Commission Staff's Project Manager, Mary Dyas at 916-651-8891 or via e-mail: mdyas@energy.state.ca.us

Questions of a legal or procedural nature should be directed to Garret Shean, the Hearing Officer, at 916-654-3893 or e-mail at: gshean@energy.state.ca.us

Media inquiries should be directed to Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director for Media and Public Communications, at 916-654-4989 or by e-mail at: mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us

________/signed/_______
JOHN L. GEESMAN,
Commissioner and Presiding Member
Bullard AFC Committee

________/signed/_______
JEFFREY D. BYRON,
Commissioner and Associate Member
Bullard AFC Committee