Project Owner
Vistra Energy
Docket Number
99-AFC-04
Capacity
1,060 MW
Location
Monterey County
Technology
Combined Cycle
Project Status
Operational (Natural Gas-Fired)
Project Type
Application for Certification
Project Description

The Moss Landing Power Plant Project (MLPP) is located at the intersection of Highway 1 and Dolan Road, east of the community of Moss Landing near the Moss Landing Harbor, Monterey County, at the existing Moss Landing Power Plant site.

MLPP is a 1,060-megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired, combined-cycle facility (separate from the original seven units) consisting of two power blocks.  Each power block consists of two natural gas-fired combustion turbine generators (CTGs), two unfired heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), and a reheat, condensing steam turbine generator (STG). Both power blocks use seawater for once-through cooling.

The Moss Landing facility was originally built and owned by Pacific Gas & Electric, beginning commercial operation in 1950.

  • In 1998, PG&E sold the facility to Duke Energy North America (Duke Energy).
  • In 2006, Duke Energy sold the plant to LS Power (LSP) Moss Landing LLC, a subsidiary of LSP General Finance Co. LLC.
  • In April 2007, the power plant was purchased by Dynegy Moss Landing, LLC (DML), a subsidiary of Dynegy of Houston, Texas.
  • On April 9, 2018, Vistra Energy merged with Dynegy and in 2020, Dynegy Moss Landing, LLC underwent an administrative name change to Moss Landing Power Company, LLC.

In October 2014, DML entered a Settlement Agreement with the California State Water Resources Control Board addressing requirements under the SWRCB's Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Water for Power Plant Cooling. Paragraph 2.1.6.d in the Settlement Agreement states, "by December 31, 2016, Dynegy Moss Landing, LLC will install and operate variable speed drive controls on circulating water pumps serving Units 1 and 2."

On September 19, 2016, the California Energy Commission approved a Post-Certification Amendment (TN 213710) to allow the installation and operation of variable speed drive (VSD) controls on four of the six existing 4,160 Volt AC motors for the six circulating water pumps serving Units 1 and 2. The VSDs will allow the plant to reduce circulating water flow when the units are not operating at full capacity by automatically matching motor speed to specific unit cooling load demands and allow greater control in reducing cooling water flow during certain unit loads that will reduce entrainment and impingement of marine organisms.

  • Approval of Petition for Site Modifications, TN 16802, 11/21/2000, Staff approval of additional laydown area and re-routing the cooling water discharge system.
  • Approval of Insignificant Project Change for Additional Laydown Area, TN 19147, 03/12/2001, Staff approval to use areas of national refractories and minerals, as additional laydown and warehousing for equipment
  • Notice of Exemption for Integration of New or Re-Powered Generating Units with CAL-ISO, TN 21938, 08/09/2001, Staff approval to add Condition of Certification TSE-4 to ensure coordinated integration of new generating unit with California’s electricity grid.
  • Commission Order Approving Modification of Condition of Certification LAND-1, TN 27460, 11/18/2002, Order No. 02-1106-01a, Commission approval to modify Condition of Certification LAND-1 to remove the County of Monterey as the recipient of the public access easement and associated improvement funds, along with maintenance and liability responsibilities.
  • Order Approving a Petition to Amend Shutdown Process Emissions, TN 28571, 04/24/2003, Order No. 03-0416-01b, Commission approval modify various Air Quality Conditions of Certification to reflect a change in the two-hour shutdown process emissions.
  • Order Approving a Petition to Amend Startup and Tuning Emissions, TN 30796, 01/29/2004, Order No. 04-0121-07, Commission approval to modify various Air Quality Conditions of Certification to reflect a change in the cold startup and tuning emissions.
  • Order Approving Transfer of Ownership to Duke Energy Moss Landing, LLC, TN 33514, 02/23/2005, Order No. 05-0216-01e, Commission approval of Ownership change from Duke Energy North America, LLC to Duke Energy Moss Landing, LLC.
  • Order Approving a Petition to Connect a Small Pilot Desalination Facility to the Discharge Lines of Units 1 and 2 for a Twelve-Month Period, TN 41796, 08/06/2007, Order No. 07-0801-04, Commission approval to connect a small pilot desalination facility to discharge lines of Units 1 and 2 for 12 months.
  • Disposition of $250,000 Endowment Fund and Energy Commission Staff Approval of a Change to the Verification for LAND-2, TN 210070, 12/18/2007, Staff approval addressing the completion of Condition of Certification LAND-2 and an Energy Commission staff approved a change to Condition of Certification LAND-2 verification.
  • Approval of Moss Landing Package Boiler Replacement, TN 58686, 09/31/2010, Staff approval of package boiler replacement with auxiliary steam option.
  • Notice of Determination for Approval to Install and Operate Variable Speed Drive Controls, TN 213710, 09/19/2016, Staff approval to install and operate variable speed drive controls on 4 of 6 existing 4,160 Volt AC motors for 6 circulating water pumps serving Units 1 and 2.
  • Order Approving Settlement, TN 225850, 11/08/2018, Order No. 18-1107-4, Commission approval of the Settlement Agreement, and directs the Executive Director to execute the Settlement Agreement on behalf of the Energy Commission.
  • Notification of Administrative Owner Name Change, TN 235932, 02/14/2020, Administrative Change to Project Owner Name from Dynegy Moss Landing, LLC to Moss Landing Power Company, LLC.
  • Statement Of Staff Approval Of Proposed Change to Remove Requirements and References to Two Boilers That Are No Longer in Operation Update Conditions of Certification, TN 238058, 06/14/2021, Staff approval to remove requirements and references to two boilers that are no longer in operation, update quarterly emission limits, clarify definitions, remove CO substitution data requirements from the conditions, incorporate a CEMS monitoring protocol with updated CO data requirements, and clarify breakdown reporting requirements.
  • Order Approving Settlement, TN 242306, 3/9/2022, Order No. 22-0309-2, Commission approval of the Settlement Agreement, and directs the Executive Director to execute the Settlement Agreement on behalf of the Energy Commission.

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-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

Subscribe Moss Landing Power Plant

Automated Email Notifications