On May 7, 2001, Valero Cogeneration Project (VCP),
wholly owned by Valero Refining Company, Benicia CA.,
filed an Application for Certification (01-AFC-5) seeking
approval from the California Energy Commission (Energy
Commission) a 4-month, expedited review to construct and
operate the Valero Cogeneration Project.
The site is located at the
existing refinery location in Block 25, Township 3 North,
Range 3 West of the Benicia Quadrangle, Solano County,
Assessor Lot Number for the site is 90-110-03.
VCP will be a nominal 102 megawatts (MW) cogeneration
power plant. The proposed facility will include two combustion
turbine generators equipped with water injection to control
oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions and associated support
equipment. Phase 1 of the project, a 51 MW generator, went
on line commercially on October 18, 2002. Construction of Phase 2 of the
project, the final 51 MW generator, is on hold with 37 percent
of the project completed (as of September 2003).
The project will be visually compatible with the
existing refining equipment in the adjacent areas. The
power plant area will be accessed via the existing roads and
streets within the refinery. The power plant will consist of
a two GE gas turbines (LM6000 - PC Sprint) with chillers,
fuel gas compression facilities, power generators, heat
recovery steam generators (HRSG), SCRs for emission control,
and associated instrumentation, piping, and wiring. The
produced power will be conveyed about 2,000 feet through
underground cables to the new Valero switch house within
the refinery at a voltage of 12 kilovolt. As a result of
this project, the refinery will not need power currently
provided from the California electrical grid.
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