Notice of Receipt of AFC

Notice Of Receipt Of The

Application For Certification

FOR THE

SUTTER POWER PROJECT

Docket No. 97-AFC-2

On December 15, 1997, the Calpine Corporation filed an Application for Certification (AFC) seeking approval from the California Energy Commission (Energy Commission) to construct and operate the 500 megawatt (MW) Sutter Power Project. The project will be located adjacent to Calpine's Greenleaf 1 electric cogeneration power plant approximately seven miles southwest of Yuba City on South Township Road near the intersection with Best Road. The land dedicated for the facility will comprise 10 to 12 acres of Calpine's existing 77 acre parcel (Sutter County Assessor's parcel number 21-230-25). See the enclosed map for the location of the project.

The Energy Commission is responsible for reviewing and ultimately approving or denying all thermal electric power plants, 50 MW and greater, proposed for construction in California. The Energy Commission's facility certification process carefully examines public health and safety, environmental impacts and engineering aspects of proposed power plants and all related facilities such as electric transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, etc. The Energy Commission's responsibilities are similar to those of a lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Because the project will interconnect with the Western Area Power Adminstration's (Western) high voltage transmission line, the review will be completed jointly with Western, the federal lead agency for this project.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project, as proposed by Calpine Corporation, is a 500 MW, natural gas-fired, combined cycle, electric generation facility. The combined cycle design consists of two combustion turbine generators (CTGs), two heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) with duct burners and a steam turbine generator (STG). Natural gas will be the fuel for both the CTGs and HRSG duct burners. Each CTG will produce approximately 170 MW of electricity. The CTG's exhaust gases will be used to generate steam in the HRSGs. The HRSGs will be reheat design with duct firing. Steam from the HRSGs will be admitted to a condensing steam turbine for an additional 160 MWs of generation.

A new 4 mile 230 kilovolt (kV) overhead electric transmission line will be built to a switching station which will interconnect to the Western's electrical transmission system. A new 12 mile natural gas pipeline will be constructed to provide fuel for the project. The 16 inch gas pipeline will connect to an existing PG&E natural gas supply line located to the west of the facility site. Potable water and cooling water will be provided by an on-site well system that will be developed as part of the project. It is expected that three wells will be developed to meet the approximate need of 3,000 gallon-per-minute of water expected during peak operating conditions. Sanitary waste will be disposed to an on-site septic system. All other wastewater generated in the operation of the plant will be discharged to the existing surface drainage system requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The purpose of the AFC process is to enable the Energy Commission to make a determination regarding the need for the project and to assess the project's impact on environmental quality, electrical system reliability, and public health and safety. Over the next twelve months, the Energy Commission and Western will conduct a number of public workshops and hearings to determine whether the project should be approved for construction and operation and under what set of conditions. These workshops will provide the public and local, state and federal agencies the opportunity to ask questions and provide input about the proposed project. The Energy Commission will issue notices for these workshops and hearings, normally 14 days, but in no case later than 10 days prior to the meeting. If you are not currently receiving these notices and want to be placed on the mailing list, please contact Gina M. Mortholé, Project Secretary, at (916) 654-4235.

If you want information on how you can participate in the Energy Commission's review of the project, please contact Ms. Roberta Mendonca, the Energy Commission's Public Adviser, at (916) 654-4489 or toll free in California at (800) 822-6228. Technical or project schedule questions should be directed to Paul Richins, Siting Project Manager, in the Energy Facilities Siting and Environmental Protection Division, at (916) 654-4074. The status of the project, copies of notices and other relevant documents are also available on the Energy Commission's Internet home page at www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/sutterpower. News media inquiries should be directed to Assistant Executive Director, Claudia Chandler, at (916) 654-4989.

This notice of receipt has been mailed to all parties that have requested to be placed on the mailing list during prefiling and to property owners located adjacent to the project site and any of the project related facilities. By being on the mailing list, you will receive notices of all project related activities and notices that documents related to the project's evaluation are available for review. If you want your name removed from the mailing list, please contact Gina M. Mortholé, Project Secretary, at (916) 654-4235.

AVAILABILITY OF THE AFC DOCUMENT

A copy of the AFC document is available for public inspection at the Sutter County Library, Main Branch, 750 Forbes Ave., Yuba City, CA 95899. Copies are also available at the Energy Commission's Library in Sacramento, the California State Library in Sacramento, and at public libraries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Fresno and Eureka. In addition, copies will be distributed to those public agencies which would normally have jurisdiction except for the Energy Commission's exclusive authority to certify sites and related facilities.

DATE: December 16, 1997

_____//signed//_____
ROBERT L. THERKELSEN, Deputy Director for
Energy Facilities Siting and Environmental Protection