Pala power plant necessary, planners say

By: TOM PFINGSTEN - Staff Writer
Facility could be operating by next summer's 'peak' season | Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:55 AM PDT ∞

FALLBROOK -- Officials revealed more details Monday about a proposed $85 million power plant during an informational meeting and a tour of the site, a stone's throw north of Highway 76 about two miles west of the Pala Indian reservation.

On the tour, about 30 people viewed the hillside parcel, a former orange grove where the plant would be built and begin burning natural gas for electricity next year if it is approved by the California Energy Commission.

The commission is conducting an environmental review of the project.

Joe Stenger, a consultant for Orange Grove Energy, which has applied to build and run the plant, briefly described the project and pointed out the boundaries of the 8.5-acre site, which is directly across Highway 76 from Gregory Canyon.

Perhaps the most imposing feature would be a pair of 80-foot-tall exhaust stacks attached to the natural gas-powered turbines, Stenger said.

The tour was followed by an informational meeting at Fallbrook High School, where planners explained why they feel the power plant is necessary, and outlined the process that may lead to the plant opening as soon as next year.

Steve Thome, a project consultant for Orange Grove Energy, said that the location makes sense for a power plant because development is starting to take off in the eastern San Diego County region.

"Most of the growth is in the eastern part of the county -- there are a lot of projects going on, a lot of development," Thome said. "If you think of this as a garden hose, that area is out on the end of the garden hose ... and the more people draw off that hose, the more likely it is that there's going to be a problem."

He said having the 96-megawatt facility on the San Diego Gas & Electric power grid would also add stability to the grid, especially for residents and businesses in the Pala area.

The facility would produce enough electricity to power nearly 100,000 homes in the region under optimal conditions and would operate mostly during "peak" summer hours in August and September, when power consumption typically spikes.

Eleven people spoke in favor of the plant during the public comment period of the meeting, which was hosted by the state energy commission as a first step in its process of environmental review.

The commission is the governing body that administers the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act when reviewing power plant applications.

Before Monday's meeting, state officials identified a list of potential impacts the project could have, including some that would affect air quality and cultural resources, and directed Orange Grove Energy to address those issues.

Several people from the Fallbrook-Pala area spoke skeptically of the proposal, saying they know there is a need for more electricity in the area but don't think the Pala site is appropriate.

"The Highway 76 corridor is one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in San Diego County, so until we see more information ... we don't think it's a good project," said Sheila Manning, president of the environmental group RiverWatch.

Manning said she was concerned that the plant may someday expand, and that it would require a significant amount of water to operate during a time when water officials are warning of cutbacks.

Thome responded by saying the plant would not be expanded from what is proposed.

"We want to make this plant as low-impact as possible," he said.

Orange Grove Energy, a Schaumburg, Ill.-based limited partnership, filed its application for the facility on July 19, stating that it hoped to have the power plant running in time for next summer's peak energy season.

According to the state's tentative schedule, a draft environmental document may be ready as soon as next month, at which point the public would be able to comment on the project.

The project requires several other approvals besides that of the state energy board, including a major use permit from the county and two permits from the Air Pollution Control District, which governs airborne emissions at the site.

The project is sandwiched between two other proposed facilities, the Rosemary's Mountain quarry and the Gregory Canyon landfill, both of which have been met with fierce opposition from environmentalists and residents who live nearby.

For more information about the project, visit www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/orangegrove.

-- Contact staff writer Tom Pfingsten at (760) 740-3516 or tpfingsten@nctimes.com.