LADWP Completes Power Plant Upgrades; Modernized Facility Produces Less Emissions, Increases Reliability for Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has completed the modernization of a natural gas-fired power plant that will help ensure Los Angeles can continue to meet the demand for reliable, clean energy.

The "repowering project" located at LADWP's Haynes Generating Station, located in Long Beach, provides 575 megawatts through a new generating system that is up to 94% cleaner in terms of emissions and 40% more fuel-efficient than two older, 1960s-era generating units that it is replacing. LADWP repowered the facility by building a state-of-the-art power plant that operates with new, combined cycle generating units, which include two gas combustion turbine generators that produce enough steam to power one steam turbine generator. The new plant became available for dispatching energy on January 26.

"We are very proud to announce that LADWP placed into service the new Haynes Generating Station units," said LADWP General Manager Ron Deaton. "This ultra-clean power plant represents a significant step in LADWP's efforts to clean up our in-basin power plants. In addition, LADWP will supplement these efforts with increased investment in developing renewable energy resources," Deaton said.

The new facility meets all emission limits set by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, using the best available emission control technology. "These units are now the cleanest and most efficient generating units in the AQMD region," said Henry Martinez, chief operating officer of the Power System.

Benefits of the power plant modernization include:

--Fuel efficiency -- the new units use 40% less natural gas compared to the old units, which therefore means lower emissions of greenhouse gases and lower fuel costs.

--Environmentally friendly -- emission rates of nitrogen oxides (NOx) are below 2.0 parts per million (ppm) compared to between 50 and 90 ppm of NOx generated by the older units. The amount of emissions avoided through the upgraded technology is roughly equivalent to removing about 55,500 cars from the road each year.

--Reliability -- by replacing old, inefficient generating units, the plant will improve the reliability of the City's Los Angeles basin electric system.

The $375 million Haynes project is part of a long-term $1.8 billion repowering plan designed to improve air quality as well as increase energy efficiency and reliability of power plants in the Los Angeles basin. Last year, LADWP repowered its Valley Generating Station in Sun Valley, which can produce 533 megawatts of clean, fuel-efficient energy through the combined cycle technology.

The Haynes and Valley power plants will both receive Project Achievement Awards from the Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientists at its annual awards banquet on February 24. In a prepared statement, LACES said, "the two projects, completed within budget, are fine examples of great engineering projects implemented in the Southern California area."

Repowering the in-basin generating stations is a major component of LADWP's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), approved by the City Council in 2000. The IRP is the blueprint for meeting the city's energy demand through emission reductions, demand-side management, developing renewable resources and promoting new, clean electric technologies and energy efficiency. LADWP is currently reviewing proposals to increase its supply of renewable energy, such as wind, geothermal and solar power. Under the direction of the City Council and Mayor James Hahn, LADWP has launched a program to increase renewable power resources to 20% of energy retail sales by 2017.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation's largest municipal utility, provides reliable, high-quality energy and water to the City of Los Angeles. To report an outage or other electrical problem, call 1-800-DIAL DWP. For more information, visit www.ladwp.com.