- Docket Number
- 05-AFC-02
- Capacity
- 500 MW
- Location
- Los Angeles County
- Technology
- Simple Cycle
- Project Status
- Operational (Natural Gas-Fired)
- Project Type
- Application for Certification
The Walnut Creek Energy Park (WCEP) site, an 11.48-acre parcel, is located at 911 Bixby Drive in the City of Industry, Los Angeles County, in an area zoned for industrial uses. The WCEP was certified by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in February 2008 and began commercial operation in May 2013.
The WCEP is a 500-megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired, simple cycle electrical generating facility, designed to meet electric generation load during periods of high demand (peak demand). WCEP also provides the fast-start capabilities needed to provide in-basin voltage support as needed and to help integrate renewable energy resources into the grid. WCEP operates five GE LMS100 simple-cycle gas turbines, each with an electrical generator and emissions equipment. As a simple-cycle configuration, there are no heat recovery steam generators, duct burners, or steam turbines.
The WCEP uses reclaimed water from the Rowland Water District for cooling and site landscape irrigation. Potable water for drinking and sanitary uses is also provided by the Rowland Water District. Sanitary wastewater is discharged to a Los Angeles County Sanitation District trunk sewer line that runs in a utility easement within the project site. Process wastewater is also discharged to this sanitary sewer line through a connecting pipeline to the trunk sewer line. The WCEP is connected to Southern California Edison's electrical system at the existing Walnut Substation, which is located approximately 250 feet south of the project site. Natural gas is supplied to the WCEP via a pipeline connection to a Southern California Gas Company high-pressure gas pipeline that runs in a utility easement within the WCEP parcel.
On March 16, 2021, Walnut Creek Energy, LLC filed a petition with the CEC seeking to modify the fuel and ammonia mixture for improved combustion efficiency, to result in a net increase in output of 17.4 MW.
- Notice of Insignificant Project Change to Modify the Height of the Transmission Line Power Pole, TN 49886, 01/27/2009, Staff approval to change the height of the generation tie-line transmission structures from 90 feet high to 135.feet high (maximum).
- Approval of Staff Approved Project Modification to Relocate Several Plant Features Within the Existing Property Boundary, TN 51359, 04/29/2009, Staff approval to relocate several plant features within the existing property boundary.
- Order Approving A Petition to Amend Air Quality Conditions of Certification, TN 60502, 05/04/2011, Order No. 11-0504-02, Commission approval to modify Air Quality Conditions of Certification for particulate matter 10, volatile organic compound, and sulfur oxide consistent with the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Final Determination of Compliance.
- Notice of Determination for Approval of Petition to Modify the Laydown Area, TN 62014, 08/25/2011, Staff approval of the addition of two new construction laydown areas. Laydown Area 1 is a vacant lot approximately 15.29 acres, and laydown Area 2 is approximately 4.1 areas.
- Notice of Determination for Approval of Petition to Modify the Cooling Tower, TN 62671, 10/28/2011, Staff approval of the redesign and relocation of the cooling tower. The redesigned tower will be a four-cell design with a deck height of 42 feet, 168 feet in length and 36 feet wide.
- Notice of Determination for Approval of Petition to Modify the Gen-Tie Connection, TN 63438, 01/23/2012, Staff approval to add two adjacent portions of SCE transmission line easements to the project and related equipment.
- Approval of Verification Changes to Conditions of Certification and Authorization to Commence Construction on Generation Tie-Line Facilities, TN 64705, 04/12/2012, Staff approval for alternative methods of verification for Commission conditions of certification applicable to the SCE generation tie-line facilities.
- Approval of Project Changes Including Expansion of Project Description to Include an Off-Site Industrial Wastewater Discharge Connection, TN 66182, 07/11/2012, Staff approval of a change to the project description to include an off-site industrial wastewater discharge connection.
- Order Approving a Petition to Modify Eight (8) and Delete Two (2) Air Quality Conditions of Certification, TN 68911, 12/18/2012, Order No. 12-1114-04, Commission approval of modifications to Air Quality conditions of certification AQ-1, AQ-3, AQ-11, AQ-13, AQ-14, AQ-16, AQ-SC7 and AQ-19 to provide the most current air quality requirements, and the deletion of AQ-SC9 and AQ-17 due to being outdated.
- Order Approving Petition to Modify Air Quality Conditions of Certification AQ-4 and AQ-7, TN 226126, 12/17/2018, Order No. 18-1210-03, Commission approval to revise AQ-4 to modify the ammonia emission limit, AQ-7 to clarify language pertaining to particulates, and to modify Worker Safety-5 to remove outdated language related to training security guards in the use of emergency equipment.
- Order Approving Petition to Modify Air Quality Conditions of Certification, TN 238489, 06/25/2021, Order No. 21-0625-03, Commission approval to modify the hourly fuel input and ammonia flow rates resulting in higher turbine output, for a net increase of approximately 17.4 megawatts (MW).
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.
Contacts
Project Manager
Joseph Douglas
CME@energy.ca.gov
(Please enter project name in the email subject line)
916-956-9527
Public Participation Questions
Public Advisor
publicadvisor@energy.ca.gov
916-269-9595
Media Inquiries
Media & Public Communications Office
mediaoffice@energy.ca.gov
916-654-4989