The California Energy Commission July 13 denied petitions asking the commission to reconsider its previous approval of the Mariposa Energy Project. Interveners Robert Sarvey and Rob Simpson separately filed documents in mid-June to overturn the agency’s May 18 decision to license the Mariposa project--a planned 200 MW simple-cycle, natural gas-fired plant. It would sit on a 158-acre parcel just south of a Pacific Gas & Electric substation in northeastern Alameda County, about seven miles from the city of Tracy. Sarvey argued that the main access road to the site has become seriously deteriorated due to construction of the nearby GreenVolts solar energy project, and that the road should be rehabilitated before construction on the Mariposa plant is allowed to begin. The project’s applicant, Diamond Generating, said the access road is being maintained by the company and would be fully repaired after the estimated 14-month construction process is complete. Energy Commission staff noted that Simpson’s complaints were addressed during the evidentiary hearings for the project. The commissioners voted 4-0 to accept a staff counsel recommendation to dismiss the petitions for reconsideration. Also, the commission unanimously approved revisions to California’s Solar Electric Incentive Program guidelines. The guidelines, which establish eligibility criteria, conditions for incentives, and equipment rating standards for ratepayer-funded solar electric incentive programs in California, are required under SB 1. The limited revisions approved this week clarify and revise the accuracy requirements for inverter-integrated performance meters. Specifically, they delay new accuracy standards until renewable portfolio standard eligibility requirements are established for distributed generation systems on customer meters.
