Continuing his nonstop photo opportunities to flip the switches on new electric generation sources, Gov. Gray Davis Monday opened the 90 MW Larkspur Energy Project, built by InterGen and billed as the largest natural gas-fired power plant to come on-line in San Diego in more than 40 years. InterGen also signed an 11-year contract with the state for the plant’s output.

California political leaders called this the “fastest-licensed plant in state history,” taking 19 days for permitting under an emergency 21-day process designed to get temporary peaking plants on line to help mitigate against the predicted rolling blackouts this summer. By the end of summer (Sept. 30), nine more peaking plants will come online in the state, collectively producing 864 MW.

“One year ago, San Diego was on the front lines of California’s disastrous experiment with electricity deregulation,” Davis said. “They bore the brunt of a storm they didn’t ask for and didn’t deserve. Today, we begin a new chapter in San Diego history.”

The project’s developers said workers labored 18-hour days, seven days a week to get the Larkspur Energy Project online in record time: 90 days. The plant uses two natural gas-fueled simple-cycle turbine generators equipped with state of the art air pollution control features. The Larkspur Energy Facility is located in the Otay Mesa area of the City of San Diego, near where a larger baseload power plant is scheduled to be built. Davis said the state’s 11-year contract will provide added supplies “at reasonable rates.”

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