2001 California Emergency Siting
Peaker Power Plant Permitting

Peaking Power Plants - Less than 300 MW

In 2001, Governor Davis identified a goal of bringing 1,000 megawatts of new power plants to meet the electricity needs during peak demand periods. Typically these are simple-cycle power plants that can be constructed in a relatively small area, do not require water supplies for cooling, and can readily be connected to the existing transmission and natural gas system. The Governor directed the Energy Commission to use its emergency power plant permitting authority under Public Resources Code 25705 to permit new peaking and renewable power plants that could be online by September 30, 2001.