HOUSTON, Feb 4 - Calpine Corp (CPN.N) has obtained final approval to build a long-delayed natural gas-fired power plant in California that will limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, the company said on Thursday.
Calpine said it hopes to begin construction of the 600-megawatt Russell City Energy Center in Hayward, California, later this year.
The facility, initially proposed more than nine years ago, will be designed to produce 50 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the most advanced coal-fired plants and 25 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the standard set by the California Public Utilities Commission, the company said.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit, the final regulatory action needed for the project to advance, Calpine said. The permit includes enforceable limits on greenhouse gas emissions.
"We applaud the (district) and Calpine for going beyond existing federal law and being the first in the nation to require an enforceable greenhouse gas limit," Linda Adams, California State Secretary for Environmental Protection, said in a release.
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the first time as congressional action on climate legislation is stalled.
Most combined-cycle gas plants produce half the CO2 emissions of coal plants.
To further reduce emissions, the Russell City plant will use Siemens 501FD3 turbines which are extremely efficient and will help the plant meet strict emission limits spelled out in the final permit, said Calpine spokeswoman Norma Dunn.
General Electric's (GE.N) GE Energy Financial Services acquired a 35-percent interest in the Russell Energy Center in 2006 for $44 million.
The facility has a 10-year agreement to sell its output to Pacific Gas & Electric, a unit of PG&E Corp.
Calpine said it hopes to begin construction of the 600-megawatt Russell City Energy Center in Hayward, California, later this year.
The facility, initially proposed more than nine years ago, will be designed to produce 50 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the most advanced coal-fired plants and 25 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the standard set by the California Public Utilities Commission, the company said.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit, the final regulatory action needed for the project to advance, Calpine said. The permit includes enforceable limits on greenhouse gas emissions.
"We applaud the (district) and Calpine for going beyond existing federal law and being the first in the nation to require an enforceable greenhouse gas limit," Linda Adams, California State Secretary for Environmental Protection, said in a release.
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the first time as congressional action on climate legislation is stalled.
Most combined-cycle gas plants produce half the CO2 emissions of coal plants.
To further reduce emissions, the Russell City plant will use Siemens 501FD3 turbines which are extremely efficient and will help the plant meet strict emission limits spelled out in the final permit, said Calpine spokeswoman Norma Dunn.
General Electric's (GE.N) GE Energy Financial Services acquired a 35-percent interest in the Russell Energy Center in 2006 for $44 million.
The facility has a 10-year agreement to sell its output to Pacific Gas & Electric, a unit of PG&E Corp.
