New power plant partially operational and generating electricity for Southern California
May 06 - The Bakersfield Californian
Pastoria, a new power plant in southern Kern County, is partially operational and generating electricity for Southern California.
Once fully on-line, the plant will produce, on average, enough electricity
for nearly 600,000 homes, Calpine said.
The plant will ultimately employ 28 people.
State energy officials have said power from Pastoria is most needed in
Southern California, which may experience tight electricity supplies when demand
peaks this summer.
At this point, Calpine does not have contracts in place to sell the power to
specific buyers, according to company spokesman Kent Robertson. He said Calpine
is seeking buyers and that given the demand for electricity, this shouldn't be a
problem. Regardless, the plant is putting electricity on the state power grid,
Robertson said.
Pastoria runs off natural gas. Calpine says the plant's design reduces its
consumption of natural gas by 30 percent.
The plant is near Lebec. It's situated about 6.5 miles east of Interstate 5
on land leased from Tejon Ranch Corp.
Enron initially proposed building Pastoria and the state gave the company the
go-ahead in December 2000.
Calpine bought the development rights from Enron the following March when the
Houston company had its historic meltdown.
Initially scheduled to go on-line in early 2003, Robertson said Calpine
slowed construction when demand for power eased.
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