By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, June 22 -- In a blow to California Gov. Gray Davis's plan to boost summer peaking power, the developer of the proposed 53 Mw Baldwin energy facility said the project is dead.
The Baldwin project was one of those being considered under a fast-track siting approval process the governor set in motion in January to get more power in place in time for the summer peak.
La Jolla Energy Development Inc. Pres. Steve Wilburn told the California Energy Commission the company was withdrawing its application to build the peaking plant in Inglewood Oilfield in Los Angeles County. No reason was given in his Thursday letter.
However, a hearing commissioner earlier recommended denying Baldwin's license after the South Coast Air Quality Management District said if Phase 1 of the project operated without pollution control devices it "may" not receive an air permit.
The project was to be initially configured as a simple cycle unit but the final configuration was to include installation of steam injection using two heat recovery steam generators, selective catalytic reduction system, and an oxidation unit to be installed in late 2001 or 2002.
La Jolla said it would take until March 2002 to secure the necessary control equipment, making it unlikely the project could be online in time to meet the Sept. 30 deadline under Davis's executive order. The air district said it was willing to issue a notice of intent to issue an air permit for phase two. Together with various hearings that would have to be called, the air district said it appeared the Baldwin facility could not begin operation until 2002 at the earliest.
La Jolla had planned to provide 12 Mw of the plant production to the operator of Inglewood field and to sell the balance to the California Department of Water Resources and on the open market. It sought permission to operate the plant 8,760 hr/year.