Docket Number
82-AFC-01
Capacity
41 MW
Location
Sonoma County
Technology
Steam Turbine
Project Status
Operational (Geothermal)
Project Type
Application for Certification
Project Description

The Grant Geothermal Project (Unit 20) is in an unincorporated area of Sonoma County in the Geysers Known Geothermal Resource Area along the ridgeline of the Mayacamas Mountains with moderately steep terrain near the Lake County line, approximately 15 miles west of the town of Cobb. Unit 20, originally known as Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s (PG&E) Geysers Unit 20 Geothermal Project was certified by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in February 1983. Commercial operation began in October 1985.

Unit 20 was designed to provide 110-megawatts; however, due to reduced steam pressures, the plant currently (as of January 2021) supplies approximately 41-megawatts of baseload electricity to northern California's power grid. Unit 20’s major structures on the plant site are enclosed with a seven-foot security fence. These structures include a power cycle consisting of a turbine-generator and condensate and circulating water systems; a multiple cell mechanically induced crossflow cooling tower; a transmission switchyard, adjacent to the turbine generator building; and, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) abatement system. Primary treatment will be through a Stretford system, in which H2S is scrubbed from the vent gas stream and catalytically oxidized to elemental sulfur.

In April 1999, the CEC granted a transfer of ownership of Grant Geothermal (Unit 20), the former PG&E Geysers Unit 20 Geothermal Project to Geysers Power Company, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Calpine Corporation.

Project Amendment List

Order Approving Change on Tapline Termination and Amending Certification Decision, Not in Docket, Order No. 85-0501-01, Commission approval of change on tapline termination; constructing 100 feet of conductor to the existing occupied Unit 13 circuit, as the new termination point. 

Order Approving Modifications to Biology, Waste Management, and Power Plant Efficiency and Reliability Conditions of Certification, TN 8882, 05/25/1995, Order No. 95-0315-09, Commission approval of modifications to Biology Condition of Certification 5-5, Waste Management Condition of Certification 11-7, and deletion of Power Plant Efficiency and Reliability Condition of Certification 17-9. 

Approval of Requested Changes to Verifications for Air Quality and Public Health Conditions of Certification, Not in Docket, 03/23/1995, Staff approval of verification changes for Conditions of Certification Air Quality 1-2 subparts 4 and 7, and Public Health 2-1. 

Commission Order Approving Ownership Transfer, TN 11769, 04/22/1999, Order No. 99-0414-01b, Commission approval of ownership transfer from PG&E to Geysers Power Company. 

Approval of Petition to Use Reclaimed Wastewater and Approval of Verification Changes, TN 31101, 03/12/2004, Staff approval of the use of reclaimed municipal wastewater at the six Calpine Geysers geothermal power plants as well as revision of the reporting requirements in the condition of certification verifications. 

Authorization for Calpine to Obtain Demolition Permits from Sonoma and Lake Counties for Demolition, TN 206701, 11/19/2015, Staff approval for Calpine to obtain and implement county-issued demolition permits to abate fire damage to structures at Geysers 16, 18, and 20. 

Authorization of the Revised ATC Incorporated into the project Final Decision, TN 210233, 02/08/2016, Final permission for Executive Order B-36-16 expedited processing and N. Sonoma Air Pollution Control District Authority to Construct necessary for wildfire remediation and to restore power plant operations. 

Order Approving to Replace Temporary Portable Emergency Diesel Engines with Stationary Permanent Emergency Diesel Engines, TN 226129, 12/17/2018, Order No. 18-1210-02, Commission approval to replace temporary portable emergency diesel engines with stationary permanent emergency diesel engines for the cooling tower wet-down systems to aid in fire prevention at the Quicksilver, Socrates, and Grant geothermal power plants. 

Resolution Approving (DCBO) Services for Fire System Recommissioning Activities at the Geysers Facilities, TN 230281, 10/18/2019, Resolution No. 19-1014-04, Approval of Agreement 700-19-003 with NV5, Inc. for a $0 contract to provide delegate chief building official (DCBO) services for fire system recommissioning activities at the Geysers facilities.  

Order Approving Settlement for Fire Protection System, TN 235698, 11/19/2020, Order No. 20-1116-02, Commission approval of the Settlement Agreement and changes to the conditions of certification and direct the Executive Director to execute the Settlement Agreement on behalf of the CEC. 

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 (82-AFC-01)

Exhibit List

Proof of Service List

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Contacts

Project Manager

Keith Winstead
CME@energy.ca.gov
(Please enter project name in the email subject line)
(916) 208-3849

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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