Edison Mission Energy (EME), an affiliate of Southern CaliforniaEdison, said it has acquired the rights to a 320 MW naturalgas-fired peaking power facility in Kern County — which could beonline by next August — and is offering to sell the power to thestate.

“From the onset of the California power crisis, we have soughtto find means to bring new power to the California market,” saidJohn E. Bryson, chairman of parent Edison International. “Aftermonths of negotiations, we have finalized an agreement on acritical new project …We intend to offer this power by contractto the state so that the pricing for it does not depend onCalifornia’s broken deregulated power market.”

“To have a positive impact next summer, we must receiveacceptance confirmation from the California Independent SystemOperator (Cal-ISO) very quickly,” said Alan J. Fohrer, presidentand CEO of EME. The company expects to receive the necessarypermits soon to begin construction on Dec. 7.

“EME will also seek to enter into a long-term, cost-basedcontract with either Pacific Gas & Electric Co. or San DiegoGas & Electric Co. to further ensure that California’sconsumers reap the benefit of this additional power resource,”Fohrer said. EME bought the rights to construct the project in KernCounty from Texaco Power and Gasification.

The Sunrise Power Project will be completed in two phases. PhaseI will consist of a 320 MW simple-cycle peaking facility scheduledto be in service during the summer 2001. Phase II will convert thepeaking facility to a 560 MW, combined-cycle operation with anin-service date of summer 2003.

“EME is pleased to have acquired the Sunrise Project fromTexaco, with whom we have a long history of jointly developing andoperating power projects,” Fohrer said. “Our thanks andappreciation go to the various regulatory agencies for their swiftconsideration of this important project.”

Final regulatory approvals should be received shortly for PhaseI of the project. EME plans to seek expedited permitting approvalfor the Phase II expansion in line with the fast-track approvalsprocess recently enacted by the California legislature.

EME specializes in the development, acquisition, constructionmanagement and operation of global power production facilities. Itowns nearly 23,000 MW of generating capacity.

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