Summary:

On July 23rd, 2019, Glendale Water & Power received approval from the Glendale City Council to move forward with the plan to switch the Grayson Power Plant with a combination of sources of renewable energy, energy storage and a limited amount of thermal generation. The City Council also encouraged the staff to seek alternatives that would enhance the sustainability of the utility and continue to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. This decision comes after GWP was directed by the Glendale City Council in April of 2018 to re-evaluate the evolving energy sector and determine if there were any new and viable clean alternatives to its original proposal, which consisted primarily of a thermal generation with battery storage.

Main Article:

Glendale Water & Power Gets a New Power Plant Approval

On July 23, 2019, Glendale Water & Power (GWP) received approval from the Glendale City Council to move forward with a plan to repower the aging Grayson Power Plant with a combination of renewable energy resources, energy storage and a limited amount of thermal generation. The plan includes a 75-MW, 300-MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), as much as 50 MW of distributed energy resources that include solar-powered systems, solar energy efficiency and demand response programs and 93 MW of thermal generation from up to five internal combustion engines.

Earlier this month, Oakland, California, announced plans to retire a jet-fuel power plant and replace the power with residential solar-plus-storage installations on low-income housing in West Oakland and Alameda County by Sunrun.

The City Council also directed the staff to continue to seek alternatives that would enhance the sustainability of the utility and continue to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. This decision comes after GWP was directed by the Glendale City Council in April of 2018 to re-evaluate the evolving energy sector and determine if there were any new and viable clean alternatives to its original proposal, which consisted primarily of thermal generation with battery storage.

During the evaluation process, the public had the opportunity to provide input on and participate in information sessions regarding the City’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The IRP is a planning document meant to create a road map for meeting the renewable and clean energy mandates set by the State of California by 2045, if not sooner. The repowering of the Grayson Power Plant was an integral component of the plan and unquestionably became the focal point in the discussions regarding the IRP. Community groups and residents were involved with the IRP Focus Groups, community IRP workshops and provided input through GWP’s online IRP survey.

“Our residents have been active and engaged in GWP’s plans to pursue a cleaner alternative to the Grayson Repowering Project. This greener portfolio will allow GWP to provide its customers with reliable and environmentally sustainable power, and will enable us to transition to a 100% clean energy future,” said Steve Zurn, general manager of GWP.

This is the first step in establishing GWP as a national clean energy leader. This plan will transform the way GWP provides reliable and affordable clean energy resources to its residents and businesses. The repowering of Grayson will include a diverse mix of energy resources with a goal of providing the cleanest power possible while maintaining reliability at a reasonable cost in a transmission constrained location.

“We want to express appreciation to our residents, community groups, and environmental advocacy proponents for working collaboratively in finding a solution that will meet Glendale’s energy needs. In order to further reduce Glendale’s carbon footprint and provide the City of Glendale with clean, safe, and renewable power for decades to come, we will continue to direct GWP to seek additional resources while proceeding with the development details of this plan,” stated Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian.

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