Build Application for Pio Pico Plant Approved

A proposed 300 MW peaker plant in south San Diego County overcame the first major certification hurdle this week. The California Energy Commission on a 3-0 vote April 20 agreed to begin the permit review process for the Pio Pico Energy Center, which is being developed by a subsidiary of Apex Power Group. The project did not pass muster last month. “At the March 23, 2011 business meeting the commission found the [application for certification] to be data inadequate,” commission project manager Eric Solorio explained. The developer filed supplemental material, meeting permit requirements April 1. Pio Pico would have three gas-fired turbines. If built, it would sit on a 10-acre site in an unincorporated area of the county next to the existing 510 MW Otay Mesa Generating Project, which began operating October 2009. It’s designed to connect to the existing plant via a new overhead 230 kV transmission line. Pio Pico could fill part of the void left by the closed 309 MW South Bay Power Plant. The South Bay facility, which opened in 1960, ceased operations at the beginning of this year. In a related action, commissioner Carla Peterman was named the presiding member of the siting committee that will review the Pio Pico project over the next 12 months. Commissioner Karen Douglas was named the committee’s associate member. Also, the commission awarded over $4.6 million in grant funding for six research projects, including $1 million each to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and Glendale Water & Power. SMUD says it will use its grant on development of its “smart” grid technology program. Glendale plans to use the money for advanced metering installations.

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Build Application for Pio Pico Plant Approved

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