After previously putting off the matter for two weeks, the California Energy Commission once again decided to punt on whether or not to approve the Carlsbad Energy Center project. “We’re sorry that this was put aside for awhile,” commission president Bob Weisenmiller told the collection of opponents and supporters of the project who had testified during about three hours of hearings on the matter. “We’re looking forward to moving forward on the consideration of it.” On June 30, the commission voted 4-0 to approve a motion by the Center for Biological Diversity to send the project back to its siting committee for review because of several procedural errors that occurred during the initial review process. A newly-revised proposed decision on the project is to be issued after conclusion of new evidentiary hearings, Paul Kramer, the project’s hearing officer said. It is to replace the current proposed decision issued in May, which recommended the plant’s approval. The 558 MW Carlsbad Energy Center, a proposed combined-cycle generating facility, would sit on 23 acres of land in Carlsbad--a well-to-do city about 35 miles north of downtown San Diego. The planned configuration of the NRG Energy-proposed facility consists of two units, one natural-gas-fired combustion turbine and one steam turbine. Along with the Center for Biological Diversity, multiple other parties, including residents of the area and public officials, testified before the CEC in an attempt to convince the commission the project should not be allowed to move forward. Carlsbad’s mayor even got into the act, suggesting that the plant could be placed in another part of San Diego County. “This project is in the wrong place at the wrong time,” mayor Matt Hall told the commission. “This is a very well-planned city. Over the years, we have tried to create an open space area … which incorporates a lot of this area where this power plant is located. “The repowering of this plant at this location [in Carlsbad] does not make any sense to us.” And with this week’s action by the commission, opponents and proponents of the case alike each have more time to state their case.