CITIES TO CONSIDER JOINT POWER PLANTS.

Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Staff Writer

Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena officials have agreed to pay a consultant $180,000 to study the feasibility of building new power plants under a joint operating agreement.

City Councils in Burbank and Glendale approved the Rand study on Tuesday, one day after it was agreed to by the Pasadena council.

Although new plants could take more than four years to build, Burbank Water and Power officials said they might help solve the state's electricity shortage.

``It's going to take years for California to come out of this crisis,'' said Fred Fletcher, a BWP assistant general manager. ``And it isn't just California . . . Have you noticed what's happening in Las Vegas? There's incredible growth all over.

``The Western United States is going to have to look at new generation.''

With each city paying $60,000, the Rand study will determine the value of jointly building power plants that would supply power to their customers and also be a new source for the statewide power grid.

Burbank also is trying to get approval for a license to replace some now- closed generators at its Magnolia plant with new, cleaner-burning power generators.

Fletcher said Rand's three-month study would not affect those plans.

In a separate action Tuesday night, Burbank decided to restore a power generating unit on Magnolia Boulevard to get the city through the summer. The No. 4 unit was one of two that were shuttered in 1997 when it became more expensive to run them than to buy electricity on the open market.

Four years later, the opposite is true.

Although it generates its own power and buys some from out of state, the BWP must buy about one-third of its electricity. So, during the hot summer months, it will be competing with others for available energy.

``We're very fortunate to have this option,'' Fletcher said. ``It gives us an alternative to this expensive power market.''

The cost of restoring the Magnolia unit is about $760,000, although the BWP is asking for an additional $902,000 to restore and staff it with 10 more people.

Officials said by operating the generator in July, August and September, they will avoid costs of $3.6 million to $7 million.