NRG provides Mandalay power plant site rendering, after existing plant demolition
By George Miller
This rendering, below, was received Thursday from NRG, current operator of the Mandalay and Ormond Beach power plants. The company has proposed a new replacement 262 MW cleaner peaker plant at the Mandalay site. It depicts what the new plant would look like, with the old plant gone and other existing infrastructure, as well as the canal, in place. The 45MW SCE peaker plant is shown just above center and right.
Source: NRG, 11-19-15
NRG has committed in writing to demolish the old plants, if the City of Oxnard is willing to execute a community service agreement with them and drop opposition to the project. Thus far, the City Council has refused to negotiate with NRG and instead has undertaken significant legal and political opposition to the project. If the project is approved without a negotiated demolition, the city might be in a very weak position.
Opponents have criticized NRG’s proposal for everything from aesthetics and land use, to pollution, potential flooding, “environmental racism” and more. NRG and plant proponents point out that it would meet all regulations, provide baseline, reliable, clean power, jobs, taxes and still allow access to the beach. They say that the berms provide good flood protection.
The proposal is currently under PUC review with a preliminary ruling due very soon. After reviews and resolution, the proposal and recommendations go to the California Energy Commission, which has the final say.
There are many articles on this subject on our web site.
Current plant:
FYI:
Docket Number: 15-AFC-01
Project Title: Puente Power Project
TN Number: 206698
Title: Project Enhancement and Refinement, Demolition of Mandalay Generating Station Units 1 and 2
See our upcoming story on NRG’s project amendment to include the old Mandalay power plant demolition– and what it DOESN’T include!
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George Miller is Publisher of Citizensjournal.us and a “retired” operations management consultant, active in civic affairs, living in Oxnard.
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What’s “environmental racism?”
Some project opponents suggest it means deliberately siting objectionable projects in minority areas. Although Oxnard is only about 14% white (and 74% Latino) per the 2010 census, the propoed site is in the Oxnard shores neighborhood, a wealthy area which is predominantly “white.”