According to Pacific Gas and Electric, the new facility is expected to begin operation in 2010 and will serve nearly half-a-million homes using the new technology and environmental design to produce clean electricity available from natural gas.
Dry-cooling technology will allow the Colusa generating station to use 97% less water than plants with conventional water cooling systems. Cleaner burning turbines will also allow the facility to use less fuel and emit 35% less CO2 than older plants. Moreover, the plant is designed to lower its power output when renewable resources like wind and solar become available.
In 2008, the utility expects to supply 14% of its energy from renewable resources that qualify under California’s renewable portfolio standard program. On average, approximately 50% of the electricity that PG&E delivers comes from generation sources that emit no CO2.
Pacific Gas and Electric was incorporated in California in 1905 and is based in San Fransisco. The company provides natural gas and electric service to approximately 15 million people throughout a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California.
