Docket Number
99-AFC-05
Capacity
510 MW
Location
San Diego County
Technology
Combined Cycle
Project Status
Operational (Natural Gas-Fired)
Project Type
Application for Certification
Project Description

Otay Mesa Energy Center (OMEC) is located approximately 15 miles southeast of downtown San Diego and about 1.5 miles north of the United States/Mexico border. The plant itself is situated on a 15-acre parcel northeast of the intersection of Otay Mesa and Alta Roads.

OMEC is a nominal 510-megawatt (MW) combined cycle plant consisting of two power islands, air-cooled condensers, a 230 kV switchyard, an administration building, storage tanks and ancillary facilities. Each power island consists of an F-class combustion turbine generator nominally rated at 170 MW, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), a 160-foot tall HRSG exhaust stack, and a nominally rated 90 MW steam turbine generator for each power train. Total net output of each unit is approximately 255 MW.

The project uses dry cooling technology, while process water for steam generation and potable water for domestic needs will be supplied by the Otay Water District. Wastewater from the plant is transported to San Diego County's sewer system from the plant, via a 2-mile pipeline that connects to an existing line in Johnson Canyon.

On January 21, 2004, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a Post-Certification Amendment (PTA) (TN 30797) to separate and increase stack height of the HRSG/Turbines, and adding duct firing, an auxiliary boiler and a wet surface air condenser.

On February 10, 2016, the CEC approved a PTA (TN 210348) to replace certain combustion section components (turbine blades, nozzles and associated structural elements) with Advanced Gas Path (AGP) components on the two existing combustion turbines.

Approval to Change Endowment Fund to the San Diego Foundation, TN 21800, 07/27/2001, Staff approval to change BIO-10 endowment fund recipient from Center for Natural Lands Management to the San Diego Foundation. 

Approval to Combine and Replace the Language for AQ-73 and AQ-74, TN 21895, 08/14/2001, Staff approval to allow the use of ultra-low-sulfur fuel in conjunction with 1996 ARB certified engines. Condition of Certification AQ-73 has been deleted and Condition of Certification AQ-74 language has been deleted and replaced. 

Commission Order Approving Ownership Transfer, TN 22665, 10/11/2001, Order No. 01-1003-01e, Commission approval of transfer of Ownership from PG&E Generating to Calpine Corporation’s Otay Mesa Generating Company, LLC. 

Approval to Add a New Table 1 for Facility Design GEN 2, TN 23684, 12/27/2001, Staff approval to combine Table 1 (Major Equipment List) and Table 2 (Major Structures and Equipment) for the new Table 1 (Major Structures and Equipment List). 

Notice of Insignificant Project Change Approval to Site Layout, TN 25994, 06/20/2002, Staff approval of site layout changes shifting footprint 95 feet due west; increasing HRSG stack height; adding retention ponds, modifying water tanks; and modifying County San Diego setback requirements. 

Commission Order Approving Modification of Biological Resources Condition of Certification BIO-10, TN 27461, 11/18/2002, Order No. 02-1106-01e, Commission approval to modify Condition of Certification BIO-10 to change off-site habitat mitigation amount for the new natural gas pipeline Route 2C. 

Commission Order Approving Modification of Condition of Certification NOISE-6, Not in Docket, 08/20/2003, Order No. 03-0820-01c, Commission approval to change NOISE-6 to reflect an increase in the ambient noise level. 

Approval of Petition to Modify the Aqueous Ammonia Storage Area, TN 30694, 01/06/2004, Staff approval to modify the Facility Design of the aqueous ammonia storage area. 

Order Approving a Petition to Modify the Project Description, TN 30797, 01/29/2004, Order No. 04-0121-08, Commission approval to separate and increase stack height of the HRSG/Turbines, and adding duct firing, an auxiliary boiler and a wet surface air condenser. 

Commission Order Approving Revision of Air Quality Condition of Certification AQ-75, TN 32226, 08/30/2004, Order No. 04-0825-05, Commission approval to revise AQ-75 to delay and increase the required $1.2 Mi11ion mitigation fee. 

Notice of Insignificant Project Change Approval to Modify Natural Gas Supply Line Route 2C, TN 35040, 07/21/2005, Staff approval to adjust the planned routing of the northern portion of the natural gas supply pipeline; use trenching instead of boring/horizontal drilling in three sections; narrow construction right-of-way and eliminate three temporary work areas. 

Order Approving Transfer of Ownership to Otay Mesa Energy Center, LLC, TN 35574, 09/30/2005, Order No. 05-0921-03, Commission approval of ownership transfer from Otay Mesa Generating Project, LLC to Otay Mesa Energy Center, LLC. 

Order Approving a Petition to transfer ownership to Calpine Corporation, TN 36626, 03/22/2006, Order No. 03-0806-01g, Commission approval of transfer of ownership from Otay Mesa Generating Project, LLC to Calpine Corporation.  

Approval of Petition to Modify the Verification Language in Condition of Certification BIO-10, TN 40218, 05/02/2007, Staff approval to modify the verification language in BIO-10 to allow the option to transfer $440,000 to the Friends of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge to satisfy the habitat purchase requirements. 

Approval to Modify Verification Language for Condition of Certification AQ-45, TN 53601, 10/08/2009, Staff approval to modify Condition of Certification AQ-45 verification dealing with copies of the design details of the auxiliary boiler. 

Order Approving Petition to Modify Air Quality Conditions of Certification, TN 51912, 06/10/2009, Order No. 09-0603-02, Commission approval to modify air quality conditions of certification AQ-21 -AQ-23; AQ-83; AQ-36-AQ-40; AQ-42; AQ-59; AQ-60 and AQ-61 to provide the project owner options for reducing their NOx emissions from 2 parts per million (ppm) to 1 ppm when Mobile Emission Reduction Credits expire. 

Order Approving a Petition to Amend Quality Conditions of Certification, TN 203887, 03/16/2015, Order No. 15-0311-06, Commission approval to modify AQ conditions and remove all conditions relating to non-operational on-site auxiliary boiler. 

Order Approving a Petition to Amend Hot Gas Path Components, TN 210348, 02/17/2016, Order No. 16-0210-03, Commission approval to replace certain combustion section components (turbine blades, nozzles and associated structural elements) with Advanced Gas Path (AGP) components on the two existing combustion turbines. 

Order Authorizing Release of Funds from the Otay Mesa Project Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Endowment, TN 230503, 11/04/2009, Order No. 18-1210-01a, Commission approval to release $21, 130.62 from the Otay Mesa Project Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Endowment to pay RECON Environmental to perform activities related to the continued implementation of the project, as described above and in staff's analysis. 

Order Authorizing Release of Funds from the Otay Mesa Project Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Endowment, TN 231263, 12/17/2019, Order No. 19-1211-01a, Commission approval to release $25,875.97 from the Otay Mesa Project Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Endowment to pay RECON Environmental to perform activities related to the continued implementation of the project, as described above and in staff’s analysis. 

Authorization for a Software Modification to Allow an Increased Firing Temperature When Warranted, Not in Docket, 11/30/2020, Staff approval of a software change to allow an increased firing temperature when additional megawatts are needed or requested by the California Independent System Operator.  

Order Authorizing Release of Funds from the Otay Mesa Project Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Endowment, TN 235990, 12/17/2020, Order No. 20-1209-01a, Commission approval to release of funds from Otay Mesa project Quino Checkerspot Butterfly endowment. 

Statement of Staff Approval.  TN 2424540, 4/4/2022, Staff approval to relocate a 1,700-foot portion of the existing gas supply line.

Attention: Non-hypertext items above will need to be requested from the Compliance Project Manager, along with the document TN number, if provided above. 

Power Plant Certification and Exemption Processes

The CEC has the exclusive authority to certify all thermal power plants 50 megawatts (MW) and larger and related facilities proposed for construction in California. The Application for Certification (AFC) process is a certified regulatory program under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As a certified regulatory program, the CEC does not prepare environmental impact reports (EIRs) in an AFC proceeding, but instead prepares environmental assessment documents that are functionally equivalent to EIRs. A certificate issued by the CEC is in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document otherwise required by any state, local or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law, and supersedes any applicable statute, ordinance, or regulation of any state, local, or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law.

Original Proceeding

e-Commenting has been closed. Please submit your comments in compliance proceeding above.

Docket Log (99-AFC-05)

Exhibit List

Proof of Service List

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Contacts

Project Manager

Joseph Douglas
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(Please enter project name in the email subject line)
916-956-9527

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