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Presentation to District 2 Metcalf Task Force
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Tim Alton 8/26/99

A major source of pollution and heavy industrial plant such as the one proposed by Calpine does not belong so close to this neighborhood or probably any other. It does not meet the high standards that are supposed to be applied to north Coyote valley area according the general Plan.

The benefits of locating so to close the neighborhood are minimal. A zero pollution alternative does exist, and that is refurbishment of Moss Landing Power plant by Duke Energy. Duke Energy was named the nation's Most Admired Gas and Electric Utility in Fortune magazine's 1999 annual listing of America's Most Admired Companies. The Moss Landing plant will supply the 600MW through existing transmission lines. The upgrade to Moss Landing will make an overall reduction in emissions there. The rumors spread by Calpine of the need for more transmission lines and the over capacity of Metcalf substation are totally exagerated. Metcalf substation can suck in and spit out 3400MW, in its current configuration. CAl ISO 2000 prediction is for 2200MW that leaves 1300MW more than 50% growth headroom. With the addition of 1 more 500kv/230kV transformer bank the limit would be 4600MW along existing input lines, and pollution free.

An argument for a local plant is the cost of transmission. I have had 6 letters from PG&E this year stating that is a non-issue. Since deregulation transmission costs appear as a line item on your bill. My last bill was

Electrical Energy Charge    26.47
Transmission                 3.50
Distribution                29.08

Calpine would supply 30% of the power going out of Metcalf substation so a 30% reduction in the transmission costs would be $1.05. Compared with with a 1% loss in property values I would break even in 300 years.

I estimate that California Clean gasoline costs me $12 per month extra over what you would pay nationaly. That makes $1 for clean air look like a good deal.

But the proof that it does not need to be in this neighborhood is the fact that Calpine will be connecting to a 230kV line that travels 22 miles to the Monta Vista substation in the Los Altos/ Cupertino area before any power can used by an end consumer.

Power loss in lines proportional to distance and inversely porportional to the square of the voltage at which the power is distributed. That makes Moss Landing 9 miles away in terms the 22 miles to Monta Vista. Putting the plant at Metcalf is not as close to the load as it may appear.

Data:
Line Capacity from Calpine AFC table 5-2.1
lines 1,2 500kV inputs 2121 + 2385 = 4506
lines 3,4,9,10 230kV inputs 328*2 + 324*2 = 1304
Total inputs 5810.MW

Metcalf transformer capacitiy from PG&E 2 * 1122 = 2244MW
230kV inputs 1304
Total output current config = 3548MW

Add 1 more transformer +1122 = 4670MW.

Note that adding all the output lines' capacity in the table yields 5011 MW.
Note 656MW of input capacity is the Newark line which is currently a load, but could be a source.
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Tim Alton