San Jose Mercury News

November 15, 2001

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"Study: Power Plants Going in Minority Areas"

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- California is building the bulk of its new power plants in poor or minority areas as it rushes to boost supply after spring's rolling blackouts, according to a study presented Wednesday to the California Energy Commission.

Commissioners said they will consider the report before deciding next month whether to rescind new rules for rapidly approving new ``peaker'' plants, the smaller, pollution-prone power plants used during times of high demand.

State lawmakers gave plant operators three years to modify their plants to cut emissions and make them more energy efficient. But the commission lifted that requirement Oct. 17, which will let the plants run dirtier ``simple cycle'' turbines throughout their 30-year life.

A Latino Issues Forum study of 18 new power plants awaiting commission approval as of June 30 showed 16 were planned in heavily minority areas, and 15 of the 18 were proposed for poor areas.

A coalition of urban welfare and environmental organizations joined several lawmakers, including state Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, in asking the commission to reconsider its override of the state law.

Commissioners said they acted under Gov. Gray Davis' emergency powers and with his approval when they lifted the three-year conversion cap to encourage more plant construction before temperatures climb again next summer. They said they also retained other environmental standards in the rapid-approval rules.

Bob Therkelsen, a deputy director of the commission, said new small plants could cut pollution if they replace existing simple-cycle plants, most of which are more than 20 years old.

But commissioners said they will decide Dec. 5 whether to rescind the regulations in light of complaints that they acknowledged create at least an impression the commission acted improperly.

Until then, commissioners directed that no additional small plants be accepted for rapid approval under the new rules.

Two plants already are in line for quick licenses, Therkelsen said, and between five and nine small plants might qualify before the new rapid approval regulations' Dec. 31 deadline.