New Power Plant Will Cut Smog

A new plant that provides steam for oil refining, makes electricity and reduces smog emissions was dedicated in Carson on Friday.

The $300-million Watson Co-generation Plant, largest such facility west of the Mississippi, will produce up to 385 megawatts of electricity and 1.2 million pounds of steam an hour from a single fuel source, such as natural gas or waste gas from the Arco Los Angeles refinery.

Located on the site of the refinery, the plant was developed by Arco Products Co. and Misson Energy Co., which along with Southern California Edison is a subsidiary of SCE Corp.

Refinery Site

Arco officials said the plant will reduce smog emissions from the refinery site by an amount equivalent to the pollution produced by 162,000 cars in a day.

“It replaced the boilers which provided the steam for the refinery and as a result there has been a net increase in air quality,” said Billie Greer, a spokeswoman for the plant.

Conventional utility plants use fuel to produce electricity but tap only 32% of the fuel’s energy potential. The rest is released into the air as steam. In co-generation, that steam is captured and used to make more electricity and to process petroleum products.

Sebastian Nola, manager of co-generation and small power development for Southern California Edison, said the utility will purchase enough electricity from the plant to serve 340,000 of its 4 million customers.

Nola said he does not believe the plant will have any effect on power rates.

The plant began operation on April 6.