-Caveat Lector-
----- Original Message -----
From: "DOC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2001 8:59 AM
Subject: Generator threatening to cut back plant's output
Again, those in charge of the Peoples' Republic of California may have won
yet another victory for the environment.
This scenario is just so crazy I would not have believed it if I had not
been following the environmental wackos out here in California.
I thought everyone at CAS would just enjoy this latest turn in the
California Energy Crisis, which Governor GrayOut Davis has blamed on Pres.
W., and most everyone else except himself and his liberal wackos.
Pittsburg is in the greater SF Bay Area region.
Note the terms used in the article, such as "Bay Area Air Quality
Management District" "local residents and city officials," and "Natural
Resources Defense Council."
__________________________________________
Published Saturday, July 21, 2001,
in the San Jose Mercury News
Generator threatening to cut back plant's output
BY STEVE JOHNSON Mercury News
Two weeks after Gov. Gray Davis switched on Calpine's new 555-megawatt
Pittsburg power plant, Mirant says it may permanently take off-line a
greater amount of power because it can't meet new air pollution limits.
If Mirant pulls the plug on 600 megawatts at its massive Pittsburg plant,
it would effectively nullify the Calpine generator, one of three major
plants that have come on-line in recent weeks. Davis has touted the plants
as his administration's response to the state's energy crisis.
Mirant, which wants to be excused from the tougher pollution limits, said
it had told the state of its plans as early as April. But some state
officials, who have been scrambling for months to speed up power plant
construction to help keep the lights on in California, were stunned.
``That's pretty big news if they're going to shut it down indefinitely,''
said Stephanie McCorkle, a spokeswoman with the California Independent
System Operator, which monitors the flow of power throughout most of the
state. ``I haven't heard this. Obviously, we wouldn't want to see any
megawatts go away.''
The revelation also surprised Davis' spokesman Steve Maviglio, who noted
that even with the improving power situation in California, it would be a
disappointment to see such a large amount of power taken off-line.
``It's significant, no doubt about it,'' Maviglio said. ``We're going after
every megawatt we can get. As a broad policy, as much power as we can keep
on-line is beneficial until we can get new plants up and running.''
If Mirant carries through with the threat, only part of its 1954-era,
2,022-megawatt Pittsburg plant would be affected. Of its seven generating
units, three should have no problem meeting the new pollution limits,
company officials said. But they don't want to spend the $80 million or
more that it would cost to install equipment on the other four to reduce
the emission of nitrogen oxides, which contributes to smog.
Firm under orders
The company, which generates power at two other Bay Area locations, has
been ordered to cut by nearly half the average hourly nitrogen oxide
emissions at all three locations on Jan. 1. Even greater reductions are
required by 2005.
Given the relatively high operating costs involved in running the older
Pittsburg units -- coupled with the expense of installing the new pollution
controls -- Mirant officials said it may be more economical to shut down
the four units.
While stressing that Mirant wants to do everything it can to help the state
get through its energy crisis, officials said they can't keep the units
operating without an air quality exemption.
``We're very serious about shutting them down'' unless the company gets
permission to exceed the emission limits, said Mark Gouveia, vice president
and chief operating officer of Mirant's California division. ``We're not
going to violate the law to run them.''
Mirant received an exemption in April from the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District that lets its six small generators in San Francisco's
Potrero Hill district operate for longer periods than the district
previously had permitted. That was granted under a Davis executive order
that relaxed some pollution limits to help avert blackouts.
Under that deal, Mirant agreed to pay $20,000 per ton of excess
nitrogen-oxide emissions.
===> But local residents and city officials have filed a lawsuit in U.S.
District Court to force the company to install new pollution control
equipment on the Potrero Hill plants.
Guarantee sought
As a result of that case, Mirant officials say they not only want an
exemption for the Pittsburg units, but also a guarantee that they won't be
sued if they keep those four units running next year.
===> Teresa Lee, a spokeswoman with the Bay Area air quality district, said
handing out exemptions for power plants is not something the district takes
lightly. Still, considering how much power Mirant is thinking of taking out
of service, some accommodation for the company might be in order.
``They are really the backbone of the electricity generating capacity in
the Bay Area,'' she said of the Pittsburg units. ``The governor is very
motivated to keep the electricity flowing.''
===> But Gail Feuer, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense
Council, is troubled by Mirant's threat to shut down the units unless it
gets an exemption. She argued that agreeing to the company's demand could
trigger similar threats from other plant operators.
===> ``They've been on notice for the past decade that they need to install
controls on their power plant and they've taken the cheap route,'' by
trying to avoid having to do so, she said. ``It's hard to tell if they are
bluffing or if they will really shut down the plant. It sounds like
blackmail to me.''
================================================================
Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF:
*Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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