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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions


 
Q: Who is Competitive Power Ventures?
A:

Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) is an energy company that develops, builds, and manages electricity generation facilities across the country. CPV’s corporate mission is built around a belief that progressive companies can be powerful agents of change for a better world and a cleaner environment. To this end, we have focused our core activities on developing and operating energy facilities that make a significant difference in improving the environments and economic circumstances of the regions in which they are located.

Headquartered in Silver Spring, MD, with offices in Braintree, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Toronto, Canada the company currently has nearly 5,965 megawatts (MW) of conventional generation projects in various stages of development. The company’s Asset Management division has more than 4,737 MW of natural gas generation under management and has recently expanded its expertise into ethanol plant management and wind farm management. CPV is also developing nearly 4,321 MW of wind power projects across North America, with plans for more and has expanded its portfolio to include solar power generation.
Q: What is CPV Vaca Station?
A: CPV Vaca Station is a highly efficient, 660 MW state-of-the-art combined cycle gas power plant. The proposed location is adjacent to the Easterly Waste Water Treatment Plant at the corner of Lewis and Fry Roads in Vacaville, California. This facility will help meet the growing energy needs of Northern California as forecasted by the Public Utilities Commission and the  Independent Systems Operator, while improving the reliability of the state’s electric infrastructure.
Q: What is a Combined Cycle Electric Generator?
A: A Combined Cycle Electric Generator generates electricity from natural gas. The waste heat is captured and used to make steam that will generate additional electricity in a steam turbine. This highly efficient, state-of-the art technology will generate local, cleaner electricity that reduces dependence on older, less efficient power plants and is better for our environment.
Q. Why did CPV pick this location for the facility?
A. This site provides an optimal combination of factors that are important in deciding where best to locate a power plant. Being located next to the Easterly plant is beneficial not only as a similar use of land, but the effluent water out of that plant can be recycled for use in CPV Vaca Station.  The site is also near to existing natural gas pipelines and electric transmissions lines, minimizing the need for new infrastructure.
Q. How big will the plant be?
A. The plant is a 660 MW-facility that will occupy about 25 acres and will generate enough electricity to power approximately 600,000 homes.
Q. What is involved in getting permission to build a plant in California? Is it a “done deal”?
A. First, it is not a done deal.  The first effort was to make sure that the facility is a good “fit” for the City and CPV.  While that will continue to be evaluated with each detail during development, the initial look was favorable to both entities under the terms of the negotiated lease agreement that is now in place.  We are also working with the County to be assured that their concerns are addressed as well.

Under California law, the CEQA process for power plants such as this is conducted by the California Energy Commission.  A comprehensive environmental analysis is submitted to the Commission in the form of an Application for Certification.  The Commission staff will use that information as the basis for their own evaluation that will be submitted to the Commissioners as a recommended permit.  The process includes numerous public hearings and workshops over the full year that the Commission considers the application.  Finally a draft decision would be circulated for public comment before a permit to begin construction will be issued.

Many other state and local agencies will also be involved with the Energy Commission review.  The local air district, Yolo-Solano AQMD, will be required to issue its own permit conditions for the project as well.

Q. What is the process for community involvement during the review?
A. From the very beginning of the process, there will be ample opportunities for public participation, comment, and review from residents and relevant stakeholder groups. CPV will host an Open House, along with other educational forums to inform the community about the project, the overall process and how they can become active participants. Throughout the process we will continue to actively inform residents about meetings, important events, and general updates about the project’s progress.
Q. Will there be a local representative for residents to access?
A. Yes, CPV has engaged a local firm with roots in the community for the public to contact as a means of obtaining information about the project and providing feedback.
Q. What kind of tax benefits will there be for the community?
A. Projects of this type have a high assessed value for tax purposes, leading to considerable payments to the County.  Like with any other taxpayer, the revenues will be distributed by the County to the schools, special districts, and the City as specified by law.  The City will also benefit from the sale of reclaimed water to the project and its lease payments.
Q. How will the proposed plant affect air quality?
A. The project is designed to minimize emissions of pollutants.The combined cycle plant will be fueled by natural gas, the cleanest burning fossil fuel, and will also include additional emissions control equipment to further reduce the emissions. It is also required that emission offsets, that is reductions of emissions from other sources, be arranged by the project such that the region as a whole will see a reduction in emissions. The plant will be modern and highly efficient, and thus can be used to displace older, less efficient, and dirtier power plants in the region. Because of all these factors, the net effect of the CPV plant will be to improve air quality.
Q. Will the facility be noisy during operations?
A. Modern power plants are surprisingly quiet and this facility will be required to meet all local and state noise quality standards. CPV is investing additional money in the design of the buildings on the site to minimize noise.
Q. Where will the water come from to operate the plant? How much will be needed?
A. The high efficiency design of this facility will conserve water and protect natural resources. Also, as part of our commitment to the environment, we will use recycled water from the adjacent wastewater treatment facility.
Q. Where will the natural gas come from to run the facility?
A. Gas for the facility will come from the nearby PG&E pipeline located approximately one mile east on Fry Road.
Q. Will the plant contribute to Electro-Magnetic Field (EMF)?
A. CPV’s experience is that any localized EMF due to the facility is marginal and more importantly, is confined to the areas immediately around the generation turbines within the plant. The very short transmission line that will be needed to interconnect to the existing lines will be constructed so as to minimize any fields even though it will not be near any inhabited locations.
Q. Will the plant be safe? Will local fire departments be able to comment on an emergency response plan?
A. Yes. The proposed plant utilizes a proven technology used throughout North America and the world to generate electricity without incident. Safety is a top corporate priority for all CPV facilities. The design, construction and operation of equipment and systems for the proposed project will be in accordance with all local and state regulations and will include state-of-the-art fire detection, alarm, suppression, and control systems.
Q. How many construction and operations jobs would this project create? Will they be hired locally?
A. At peak construction, there will be approximately 650 workers on site, and strong efforts will be made to use local labor and materials to the greatest extent possible. Once operational, the plant staff size will be somewhere around 30 full-time well paying jobs.
Q. How many trucks per day will be coming to and from the site during construction?
A. While it’s hard to determine the number of trucks on a daily basis, a transportation plan that covers proposed truck routes will be established to minimize traffic disruptions and other inconveniences.
Q. How long will it take to build the plant?
A. The actual construction time is estimated to take approximately two years
Q. Will building this facility have a negative impact on property values in the area?
A. Based on information from other communities where facilities have been built, we have seen no decline in property values as a result of the facility.
Q. Will any of the power from this facility be available here in our area or will it all go to the Bay Area?
A. Power generated at the plant will be sold on the wholesale market most likely to PG&E.  As such the power will go onto the grid that includes customers both locally and throughout Northern California.
Q. Does California need additional power generation?
A. Yes. It is widely agreed that California needs significant additional generation in the next few years to maintain reliability. This view is shared by the Public Utilities Commission, the Energy Commission, the Independent System Operator and PG&E.
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