City of Glendale’s utility Glendale Water & Power (GWP) has received an approval from the City Council to go ahead with its plan to repower the aging Grayson Power Plant by adding a combination of renewable energy resources.
As part of the repowering, GWP plans to add 75MW/300MWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), up to 50MW of distributed energy resources including solar, energy efficiency and demand response programs and another 93MW in thermal generation across five internal combustion engines.
The Glendale City Council has also directed Glendale Water & Power to continue seeking alternatives that could enhance its sustainability, while reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.
In April 2018, the City Council directed GWP to re-evaluate the evolving energy sector and to determine if there are any new and viable clean alternatives to its original proposal.
Repowering of Grayson Power Plant is an integral part of the City’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)
The evaluation process included taking inputs from the public, under the City’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), a planning document to create a road map for meeting the renewable and clean energy mandates set by the State of California by 2045.
Repowering of the Grayson Power Plant was an integral part of the plan and had become the focal point in the discussions about the IRP.
Glendale Water & Power general manager Steve Zurn said: “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.”
As per the utility, the plan could help the utility transform the way it provides reliable and affordable clean energy resources to the residents and businesses across the City of Glendale.
Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian said: “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.”
