Docket Number
98-AFC-03
Capacity
880 MW
Location
Contra Costa County
Technology
Combined Cycle
Project Status
Operational (Natural Gas-Fired)
Project Type
Application for Certification
Project Description

The Delta Energy Center (DEC) is located at 1200 Arcy Lane, Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, generally northwest of the Delta Diablo Sanitation District treatment facility at the Dow Chemical Company (Dow) facility.

DEC is an 880-megawatt (MW), a three-by-three-by-one, natural gas-fired, combined-cycle cogeneration facility consisting three Westinghouse 501F combustion turbine generators equipped with dry low NOx combustors and steam injection power augmentation capability; three heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) units with duct burners; and a shared steam turbine generator; cooling towers; and associated support equipment. Two auxiliary boilers provide process steam to Dow. DEC employs selective catalytic reduction technology to control emissions resulting from the combustion of natural gas.

Other project related components include a 3.3-mile, 230-kilovolt (kV) electric transmission line that interconnects to the electric transmission system at the existing Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) substation near the Pittsburg Power Plant. The above ground line runs in front of USS POSCO Industries, and transitions to underground along 8th Street. A 0.8-mile underground 13.8 kV line supplies electricity to Dow Chemical. A 5.3-mile natural gas pipeline is in the existing Dow Chemical right-of-way along the Santa Fe Railroad and connects to PG&E's Antioch natural gas terminal. Water for the cooling towers is secondary-treated wastewater from the Delta Diablo Sanitation District, which receives additional treatment on the project site to comply with the requirements of the Department of Health Services. A short water supply line runs from Delta Diablo to the project. Water for steam production and domestic uses is supplied by the Contra Costa Water District and transported in Dow Chemical's existing 20-inch pipeline. All plant discharges are sent back to the Delta Diablo Sanitation District for disposal in its existing discharge pipe. Approximately 200,000lb/hr of saturated steam is supplied to Dow Chemical in a 0.7 mile above ground insulated carbon steel pipeline.

On March 8, 2017, the California Energy Commission approved a Post-Certification Amendment (TN 216644) to modify the steam turbine condenser to run the facility in simple cycle mode.

On February 8, 2018, (TN 222515), The California Energy Commission docketed a letter confirming that Delta Energy Center completed the repairs to return back to combined-cycle power plant operations.

  • Approval of Cooling Tower Size Reduction, Not in Dockets, 03-05-2001, Staff approval of cooling tower size reduction, relocation of fire pump and removal of auxiliary boilers.
  • Approval of Petition for Plant Site Modifications, TN 15751, 09/12/2000, Staff approval of plant site modifications.
  • Approval of a Petition for Additional Natural Gas Pipeline Interconnections, TN 20405, 05/22/2001, Staff approval of two additional natural gas pipeline interconnections.
  • Approval of Integration of New or Re-Powered Generating Units with CAL-ISO, Not in Dockets, 08/09/2001, Staff approval of integration of new or re-powered generating units with CAISO.
  • Approval of Petition to Construct Two Additional Cooling Tower Cells, TN 27420, 11/14/2002, Staff approval of construct two additional cooling tower cells to the existing 12-cell cooling tower.
  • Order Approving Modification to Air Quality Conditions of Certification, TN 28655, 05/05/2003, Order No. 03-0430-01b, Commission approval to modify the language in Air Quality Conditions of Certification AQ-27 (h), -28, -38, -39, -43, -44, -45, -48 and -49.
  • Order Approving a Petition to Amend Start-Up and Tuning Emissions, TN 32349, 09/16/2004, Order No. 04-0908-03, Commission approval to Amend Start-Up and Tuning Emissions.
  • Commission Approval for Temporary Modifications to the Steam Turbine Condenser, TN 216644, 03/21/2017, Order No. 17-0308-03, Commission approval to modify the steam turbine condenser to run the facility in simple cycle mode.
  • Authorization for a Software Modification to Allow an Increased Firing Temperature, 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.

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 (98-AFC-03)

Exhibit List

Proof of Service List

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Contacts

Project Manager

John Heiser
CME@energy.ca.gov
(Please enter project name in the email subject line)
916-628-5566

Public Participation Questions

Public Advisor
publicadvisor@energy.ca.gov
916-957-7910

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mediaoffice@energy.ca.gov
916-654-4989

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