Huntington Beach Council Opposes Power-Plant Bill

Huntington Beach officials took a stand Monday against a plan to double the size of a power plant in their community, fearing environmental concerns would be overlooked as the governor and Legislature rush to solve the state’s energy crisis.

Under a draft bill yet to be introduced in Sacramento, electric giant AES Corp. would be allowed to begin retrofitting two boilers before getting final approval from the California Energy Commission.

As it is crafted now, the project would be fast-tracked so the two reactors, which were taken out of service in 1995, would be up and running by June and capable of generating 450 megawatts. The permitting process would be pursued at the same time.

During a special meeting Monday night, the City Council raised concerns about the effects on water and air in a community of 200,000 that has been plagued by unexplained sewage spills.

Even though the bill’s prospects are uncertain, council members said they wanted newly elected Republican Assemblyman Tom Harman to know they are against it and that he should protect his constituents and a tourism industry that attracts 9 million to 11 million visitors a year.

“Out of 25 bills that have been proposed, this is a bad one . . . and shouldn’t be moved out of committee,” Councilwoman Connie Boardman said.

Ed Blackford, site manager at the AES plant, tried to reassure the City Council that if the bill is approved, the normal permitting process would not be ignored but simply allowed to proceed in concert with construction.

AES was fined a record-setting $17 million last year for allowing its Long Beach plant to emit more than 1 million pounds of smog-forming emissions illegally.