PG&E

Calpine began commercial operations at its Russell City Energy Center and Los Esteros Critical Energy Facility, both located in the San Francisco Bay area. Together, the two plants bring on-line more than 900 MW of combined-cycle natural gas-fired power generation capacity. The full power output of both plants will be delivered to Calpine’s customer, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which will also supply the natural gas fuel, under 10-year power purchase agreements.

Duke-American Transmission completed its previously announced purchase from Atlantic Power of 72 percent of the capacity of Path 15—an 84-mile, 500-kV transmission line in central California that connects the state’s northern and southern transmission grids. Pacific Gas & Electric owns 18 percent of the line's capacity through its ownership and operation of the connecting Los Banos and Gates substations. The remaining 10 percent is owned by Western Area Power Administration, which will continue to operate and maintain the line.

NRG Energy began commercial operation at its Marsh Landing Generating Station, a 720-MW natural gas–fueled, peaking facility located near Antioch, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay area. The Marsh Landing station will employ technologies to meet or exceed the state of California’s standards for emissions control and air quality. The turbines will operate with ultra-low nitrogen oxides (NOx) combustors, along with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and an oxidation catalyst system to reduce carbon monoxide and other organic compound emissions.