FALLBROOK: Orange Grove peaker plant almost complete
FALLBROOK: Orange Grove peaker plant almost complete 
Plant should be operational in March, officials say
By MORGAN COOK - mcook@nctimes.com | Posted: Thursday, February 4, 2010 7:30 pm
Construction of a $120 million peaker power plant near Pala is nearing 
completion and could go online the first week of March, a construction energy 
official said this week.
Workers are installing landscaping and tidying up the construction site on 
Highway 76, said Mike Jones, construction project manager for the Orange Grove 
plant, which is owned by J-Power USA Development Co. Ltd.
Soon, he said, workers will begin testing the two massive General Electric 
engines that will burn natural gas to generate enough energy for about 100,000 
Southern California homes during the "peak" energy months of August and 
September.
Jones said the remaining work, including engine-testing, will not create 
noticeable smoke or noise.
"This is a pretty low-impact period," he said of the final construction phase. 
"All the heavy work is completed."
Construction of the 96-megawatt facility began in late July on an 8 1/2-acre 
site just north of the highway, about three miles east of Interstate 15.
San Diego Gas & Electric spokesman Raul Gordillo said the company will use the 
plant to deliver energy when demand spikes in the hot summer months.
J-Power will transfer ownership of the plant to SDG&E in 25 years, officials 
said. Until then, SDG&E will pay monthly fees to use the plant.
Gordillo said Thursday he did not know the amount of the fee.
J-Power officials spent nearly two years planning the project before the state 
Energy Commission approved it April 8.
The company had to meet several conditions for approval, including the purchase 
of $250,000 in clean-air credits and a $700,000 contribution to a land 
conservation fund.
A handful of people have objected to the power plant, including residents who 
live along the SDG&E Pala-to-Monserate transmission line between the plant and 
the company's substation on Via Monserate in Fallbrook.
The residents objected to the company's plan to replace 33 wooden poles with 
large metal poles capable of holding the heavier lines needed to transmit power 
from the plant.
J-Power's plan to import reclaimed water from the Fallbrook Public Utility 
District via truck every hour when the plant is operating also drew some 
criticism, but company officials said the water is critical in cooling the plant 
for maximum engine efficiency.
Contact staff writer Morgan Cook at 760-740-3516.