PALMDALE'S PURSUIT OF POWER!


City of Palmdale Submits Application for Power Plant Permit

DATE: August 5, 2008

PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale officially submitted the application for certification (AFC) for a 570-megawatt hybrid power plant to the California Energy Commission (CEC) on August 4.

“Our application submittal is the culmination of several years of intense efforts to identify the best plant design and a location that is compatible with the City’s future plans,” said Palmdale City Manager Steve Williams. “We recognized the need for additional electricity generation to meet the increasing electricity demand, and we believe the integration of solar thermal technology and combined cycle technology is the best fit for the City of Palmdale and California.”

The power plant or hybrid plant, as it is often called because of its large solar energy component, will be located along the south side of Avenue M east of Sierra Highway.

Inland Energy was hired by the City to manage the environmental and engineering activities associated with preparing the AFC and through completion of the CEC permitting process.

“One of the best attributes of this hybrid plant is that it has the ability to produce electricity whenever it is needed but can rely on the renewable energy when the electricity demand is at its highest, during the daylight hours,” said Inland Energy Vice President Tony Penna.

Over the next two months the CEC will review the AFC to ensure it adequately addresses all of the technical and environmental topics associated with building a power plant in California. “Once the AFC is deemed to be ‘data adequate’ the CEC will begin to review it in greater detail, visit the site and conduct a series of public meetings in the City of Palmdale,” Penna said.

“This is a huge step forward for the residents of Palmdale as well as the entire Antelope Valley,” said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. “The demand for electricity has steadily increased since we first began investigating a power plant and this project will ensure an adequate and competitively priced supply of electricity for our residents and businesses.”

The City hopes to have the CEC’s decision by the end of next year and to begin construction in early 2010. Plant construction is scheduled to take approximately 30 months and commercial operation could begin as soon as the summer of 2012.

To review the AFC or for more information about the power plant, call 267-5115.

News Flash... Escrow Closes on Power Plant Property.
Palmdale Power Plant One Step Closer to Reality!

Palmdale Officials Tour Kramer Junction Solar Power Plant

Palmdale city officials, including Councilman Steve Hofbauer, Mayor Jim Ledford, City Manager Steve Williams and others, joined by Inland Energy staff, our power plant consultants, were given a rare behind the scenes tour of the 30 Megawatt Kramer Junction solar power facility. Below is a schematic of the Kramer Juntion 30+ megawatt solar co-generation facility, located in the Mojave Desert.
The solar component of this facility is what you will see at our plant. Huge mirror arrays track the sun's arc across the desert sky, and its concentrated energy is focused on glass tubes, filled with heat transfer fluid.This superheated fluid (500 to 700 degrees F) is pumped to heat tranfer tanks, where it turns water into the steam that will drive the steam turbines.

Palmdale's plant will include 3 huge GE gas tubines to supplement the solar array during peak times and darkness. These huge gas turbines, essentially jet engines. will have the heat from their hot exhaust gasses generate addition steam to turn an additional generator.

This configuation and its efficiency has impressed US Department fo Energy officials during our recent DC lobbying trip.

Solar collector tube, viewed from the edge, carry superheated liquid.

Acres of precision ground solar mirrors concentrate solar rays on tubes, like the one shown on the left, carrying super heated liquid to the steam transfer tanks, next photo.

Steam transfer units, where solar super heated fluid circulates in water tank to generate the steam to turn the turbines.

Steve shown in the Master Control Room, where the solar tracking for the mirror arrays and steam/turbine plant operations are controlled.

Steve (2nd from left) with plant managers, FLP executives, and staff from Inland Energy, our power consultants in front of a mirror array.

Steve joins Florida Light and Power executive, the Kramer Junction plant operators, and Mayor Ledford. at the base of a mirror array.

Palmdale Contingent Lobbies Energy and
Government Officials In Washington, D.C.

During our annual lobbying trip to Washington DC during March 2007, we met with some of the highest ranking Energy Dept officials, presenting our project, and soliciting feedback. Their response have been overwhelmingly positive.

Teamed up with our energy consulting firm, Inland Energy, we discussed our project with the Assistant US Secretary of the Department Of Energy, along with other DOE executives; his Deputy Counsel for Energy Policy, the Director of Commercialization and Development for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and the Technology Manager for Solar Energy Technologies.

We asked for critical analysis of our proposal, and found we were pursuing this exactly as we needed to. We have the right team of consultants with a proven track record, having recently brought the Victorville combined cycle gas turbine system on line.

In addition, our proximity to the power grid is positive; the availability of cooling water from the sanitation distict around the corner; two seperate gas supplies from an interstate and intrastate pipelines; and our location in an ideal "solar insolation zone" for solar exposure for the solar component; and proximity to urban centers and an industrial zoned land; a positive preliminary environmental study.

We also discussed emerging federal energy policy, and energy investment tax credits terms with federal officals, including our own Howard "Buck" McKeon.

The Palmdale Combined Energy and Solar Power Plant permits should be submitted to the California Sate Energy Commission this fall, and it takes them about a year or so to process.

Providing cost effective and reliable energy locally will be another tool in expanding and retaining our industrial job base. Power can be exported onto the "grid" for other uses, or directed to other specialized users, such as the high speed mag-lev transportation system.

This time last year, Williams, Mayor Ledford and I met with Lockheed's real estate division in Baltimore, Maryland, and opened negotiations on the subject site. It took a long, hard year of negotiations, but we've finally come to an agreement, and can move forward with what will be the 4th largest combined energy solar/gas facility in the world.

Palmdale City Councilman Steve Hofbauer listens as Inland Energy executive Buck Johns addresses our progress and aggressive entitlement strategy during dinner in Washington, DC.

Steve with Mayor Ledford, (left of clock) City Manager Steve Williams and Asst Manager Laurie Lile and others with power industy, legal, international media and geo-political gurus.
Palmdale City Councilman Steve Hofbauer and wife Barbara meet with US Congressman Howard "Buck" McKeon to discuss energy policy and energy investment tax credit extensions.

related news story

Power Plant Moving Ahead
Palmdale powers through a deal
Lockheed Martin sells 640 acres to city for plant
BY JIM SKEEN, Staff Writer LA Daily News Article
Last Updated:03/13/2007 08:30:07 PM PDT

PALMDALE - Palmdale officials said Tuesday they have reached terms with Lockheed Martin for the purchase of a site adjacent to Air Force Plant 42 for a future power plant. The two sides reached an agreement regarding the sale of the 640 acres near Sierra Highway and Avenue M.

City Manager Steve Williams said he could not immediately disclose the sale price, citing documents that need to be finalized. The City Council will vote March 21 on the transaction.

Williams and Councilman Steve Hofbauer, in separate interviews during breaks in a Washington, D.C., lobbying trip, confirmed the agreement on the sale.

Hofbauer said a preliminary environmental study has also been conducted on the site and that there are no issues that would stop the project. ÒWeÕre moving forward,Ó Hofbauer said. ÒWeÕre going to be able to go to the state with our application and say thereÕs no question about where weÕre going. WeÕve got the site booked up and thereÕs no endangered species there.Ó

Hofbauer said city officials met with U.S. Department of Energy officials to discuss the project. Among the officials was Alexander Karsner, assistant secretary of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Hofbauer said the city got positive feedback on the project and received information on possible federal grants involving the proposed solar energy portion of the plant and on possible investment tax credits.

ÒI feel better knowing we wonÕt have people saying this is pie-in-the-sky,Ó Hofbauer said.

The property is owned by Lockheed Martin Properties, the corporationÕs real estate subsidiary, and had been earmarked for development as a possible business park. The Lockheed site is attractive because itÕs close to the aerospace companies at Air Force Plant 42 and Lockheed MartinÕs Plant 10, which the city envisions as the major users of the power from the plant. The site also has a single owner, simplifying its acquisition.

The property was one of four considered by Palmdale as for the power plant. City officials have declined to identify the other three sites.

City officials are working with a consultant, Inland Energy Inc., to secure permits to build a 500-megawatt power plant they say would provide the city with reliable, more-affordable energy. It is expected to take about two years and cost as much as $5.5 million to secure those permits. The city plans to seek permits for a plant that would operate two 165-megawatt gas-fired turbines and a steam turbine capable of generating 170 megawatts. The plant would be capable of providing energy for a city of 400,000. It is estimated that constructing such a plant would cost about $300 million.

During the two years of seeking permits, city analysts studied various ways to permit the plant to best serve PalmdaleÕs interests. Possibilities include forming a municipal utility such as those operating in Los Angeles, Glendale and Burbank; assigning the permit to a company; or selling the permit outright.