Project Owner
Calpine Corporation
Docket Number
84-AFC-04
Capacity
115 MW
Location
Santa Clara County
Technology
Cogeneration
Project Status
Operational (Natural Gas-Fired)
Project Type
Application for Certification
Project Description

The Gilroy Cogeneration Project (GCP) located at 1400 Pacheco Pass Highway, Gilroy, Santa Clara County.

GCP is a 115-megawatt is a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle cogeneration facility consisting of one combustion turbine, one heat recovery steam generator, one steam turbine and two auxiliary boilers. GCP produces and sells thermal energy to a thermal host, Olam West Coast, under a long-term contract.

On August 7, 1996, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved an ownership change (TN 3114) from Gilroy Energy Company to Calpine Gilroy Cogen, LP.

On July 13, 2005, the CEC approved a Post-Certification Amendment (PTA) (TN 36080) to change the source of cooling water supply from wells to Title 22 quality recycled wastewater from the South County Regional Wastewater Authority facility located adjacent to the GCP site.

On April 10, 2013, the CEC approved a PTA (TN 70281) the installation of new Selective Catalytic Reduction units on GCP’s two auxiliary boilers allowing the project to comply with changes to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District regulations for emissions of NOx for auxiliary boilers.

Calpine Corporation, the project owner, entered into a Resource Adequacy contract for the plant with Southern California Edison beginning in January 2014.

  • Order Approving Amendment of Air Quality Condition of Certification No. 3, Not in Docket, Order No. 88-1130-06a, Commission approval to change AQ-3 based on information obtained after certification.
  • Order Approving Amendment of Air Quality Condition of Certification No. 4, Not in Docket, Order No. 89-0920-05a, Commission approval to change AQ-4 based on information obtained after certification.
  • Order Approving Amendment of Need Condition of Certification No. 2, Not in Docket, Order No. 90-0523-17c, Commission approval to change Condition of Certification NEED-2.
  • Order Approving Amendment of Air Quality Condition of Certification No. 19, Not in Docket, Order No. 90-1017-09b, Commission approval to change AQ-19 based on information obtained after certification.
  • Approval of Installation of a Thermal Energy Storage System, Not in Docket, 10-08-1993, Staff Approval to install a Thermal Energy Storage System (TES) and chilled gas turbine inlet air system addition.
  • Approval of Revision of the Verification Portion of Cogeneration Criteria Condition Five, Not in Docket, 02-10-1994, Staff Approval of revision of the verification portion of Cogeneration Criteria Condition five to remove duplicative effort.
  • Approval of Change in the Parcels of Land Used for Wastewater Disposal, TN 2650, 04-16-1996, Staff approval of the change in the parcels of land used for wastewater disposal.
  • Commission Order Transferring License to Calpine Gilroy Cogen, L.P, TN 3114, 08/16/1996, Order No. 96-0807-01(b), Resolution: Commission approval of Transfer of License to Calpine Gilroy Cogen, L.P.
  • Order Approving Modifications to Change the Source of Power Plant Cooling Water to Recycled Wastewater, TN 36080, 12/14/2005, Order No. 05-0713-01b, Commission approval to modify the source of its power plant cooling water to recycled wastewater.
  • Order Approving a Petition to Install Dry Low Nitrogen Oxide Combustor Unit, TN 60288, 04/19/2011, Order No. 11-0406-03, Commission approval to install a Dry Low Nitrogen Oxide (DLN) combustor unit on the Project's S-100 General Electric Frame 7 Gas Turbine Generator (S-1 00 gas turbine).
  • Order Approving a Petition to Install Two New Selective Catalytic Reduction Units on the Project's Two Auxiliary Boilers, TN 70281, 04/12/2013, Order No. 13-0410-04, Commission approval to install two new Selective Catalytic Reduction units on the project's two auxiliary boilers.
  • Order Approving the Removal of Integrated Assessment of Need Condition of Certification 3, TN 226208, 01/04/2019, Order No. 18-1210-01b, Removal of NEED-3 to remove the requirement to produce thermal energy for a steam host in addition to electrical energy.

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 (84-AFC-04)

Exhibit List

Proof of Service List

Search All Power Plant Documents

Contacts

Project Manager

Ashley Gutierrez
CME@energy.ca.gov
(Please enter project name in the email subject line)
916-839-0400

Public Participation Questions

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

Media Inquiries

Media & Public Communications Office
mediaoffice@energy.ca.gov
916-654-4989

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