Transmission towers being removed in Chula Vista

subscribe

City officials and residents in support of the decommissioning of the waterfront Chula Vista power plant — long considered a local eyesore — received an early holiday gift when the removal of transmission towers began last month.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) began removing the 23 lattice steel transmission towers that support the South Bay Power Plant using an Erickson Air-Crane helicopter to do the heavy lifting.

One by one, the structures that stand about 12 stories high and run along a 3-mile stretch on the bayfront were removed.

“It looks like we are ahead of schedule,” said SDG&E spokesman Raul Gordillo. “Our goal is to remove them by the end of the year — but it looks like it will be completed by December 18.”

The removal of the towers — and the plant — will allow the city to use the site for development. The location was once planned as the site for resort operator Gaylord Entertainment’s $1 billion hotel and convention center, before the company withdrew its plan.

For years, the city has awaited the decommissioning of the plant, which sits on 550 acres of land. But since the facility was designated as a “must run” power source by California Independent System Operator (CAL ISO), other sources of energy were required to come on line before the Chula Vista power plant shutdown would be permitted.

In 2008, officials said that two of three conditions must be met: completing the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission line from Imperial County to San Diego (set to begin in 2012), completing the Otay Mesa Energy Center and opening several new peaker plants designed to run during periods of high power demand.

Completion of the Otay-Metro Powerloop, a 52-mile 230 kv underground transmission line that links Chula Vista, National City and San Diego, as well as the Silvergate Transmission Substation project, helped to add more generation and transmission capacity to the local electric grid, according to the Port of San Diego.

“Two of the four power units will be taken offline beginning January 1, 2010,” explained Marguerite Elicone, senior public relations specialist for the port. “We are hoping that CAL ISO will remove the “must run” status from the plant in 2010, also.”

Dynergy, the plantÂ’s leaseholder, explained that once the plant is decommissioned, it would take 18 months to dismantle. The area will then be cleaned for future development.

Related News

The European Commission

Explainer: Europe gets ready to revamp its electricity market

STOCKHOLM - European Union energy ministers meet on Monday to debate upcoming power market reforms. Brussels is set to propose the revamp next month, but already countries are split over how to "fix" the energy system - or whether it needs fixing at all.

Here's what you need to know.


POST-CRISIS CHANGES
The European Commission pledged last year to reform the EU's electricity market rules, after record-high gas prices - caused by cuts to Russian gas flows - sent power prices soaring for European companies and citizens.

The aim is to reform the electricity market to shield consumer energy bills from short-term…

READ MORE
sonoma fireflighter

PG&E says power lines may have started 2 California fires

READ MORE

ttc-bans-lithium-ion-powered-ebikes-scooters

TTC Bans Lithium-Ion-Powered E-Bikes and Scooters During Winter Months for Safety

READ MORE

limestone station

External investigators looking into alleged assaults by Manitoba Hydro workers

READ MORE

indonesia coal

Energy Ministry may lower coal production target as Chinese demand falls

READ MORE