Public Hearing on AES Generators Is Postponed
The South Coast Air Quality Management District postponed a public hearing Wednesday on whether to allow AES Corp. to fire up two retooled generators at its Huntington Beach plant.
The district issued a permit in May allowing the project to go forward, but that permit has been appealed by Huntington Beach and AES Corp.
At issue is a permit condition requiring the company to enter into a long-term contract with the state guaranteeing that at least half of the energy produced be sold in California.
If the company fails to meet that condition, it would not be eligible to receive special state pollution “credits” required to restart the generators. The power plant needs the credits because it will emit more pollution than usually allowed.
AES says setting up such a contract is impossible, and if the condition is not removed, it will not be able to start the two generators, the first of which was to go online next Tuesday.
The city is appealing the permit because it says it was improperly issued, is not consistent with the energy commission’s permit and lacks adequate air-quality monitoring requirements.
The hearing was postponed until 9 a.m. Saturday.
The California Energy Commission has given its approval for AES to restart the gas-powered generators, which would add 450 megawatts of electricity to the state’s beleaguered energy grid.
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