SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company along with the Close It! Coalition and the A. Philip Randolph Institute will celebrate the closure of the Hunters Point Power Plant in San Francisco today. Mayor Gavin Newsom, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, California Independent System Operator President and CEO Yakout Monsour, and California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Peevey and other City Officials participated in the closing festivities
The plant, which ceased operations on May 15, 2006, will be demolished and the land remediated. PG&E will be one of the first utility companies in the country to decontaminate the land of a former power plant site to meet California EPA standards for residential use, the highest possible designation under the agency's codes. Only the transmission substation will remain after the plant is demolished.
"PG&E has worked hard to give the Hunters Point-Bayview community something to celebrate," said Tom King, President and CEO of PG&E. "The closing ceremony of Hunters Point Power Plant marks the commitment of many individuals to find an alternative source of energy for San Francisco, and to create an environmentally conscious means of doing so."
Interested in building a cleaner and greener environment for the community and neighbors at Hunter's point, King was happy to announce that PG&E will be embarking on a new partnership with the Mayor's Office with his Project Green Connect. The company will be providing resources and volunteers to join other partners in PGC to plant new trees along Evans Avenue.
"Today is an historic day for San Francisco and most especially for the people of our Southeast neighborhoods. We are here today, thanks to the heroic efforts of this community and the commitment by PG&E and the City to make our community healthier and stronger," said Mayor Newsom.
In order for the power plant to close, PG&E was required to complete nine transmission projects before the California Independent System Operator would terminate the "reliability must-run" contract for the Hunters Point Power Plant. Two transmission lines, the Jefferson-Martin 230-kv Line and Portero- Hunters Point 115-kv line, were completed in the spring of this year to replace and enhance power reliability in San Francisco. All but three miles of the cumulative 29.5 miles of transmission lines are underground.
"This occasion marks the extraordinary effort of PG&E to work with the community and keep its promise to close the Hunters Point Power Plant," said Linda Richardson, Chair of the Close It! Coalition. "This historic event will be celebrated for years to come."
PG&E entered into the agreement with the City and County of San Francisco on July 9, 1998 to close the Hunters Point Power Plant. In 2000, PG&E shut two of the four generating units and the plant. About $320 million has been invested to ensure sufficient energy would be flowing into the city. As a result of those efforts, PG&E has stayed ahead of growing demand and increased reliability for not only San Francisco, but for the northern Peninsula cities of Hillsborough, Burlingame, Millbrae, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Brisbane, Colma, Daly City and Pacifica.
For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company, please visit our website at http://www.pge.com/.
© 2006 PR Newswire
