Buena Vista Biomass Power LLC Moves to Restart California Power Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Otoka Energy Corporation (Bloomington, Minnesota) has acquired a majority stake in Buena Vista Biomass Development LLC and created a strategic alliance for the refurbishment of an existing power plant near Ione, California. The idled plant formerly was fueled by lignite coal and has been closed for about 12 years. When the plant is restarted, it will be fueled by woody biomass to produce 18 megawatts (MW) of base-load renewable energy for the region.

Fuel for the plant is expected to be provided from by-products of timber harvesting, forest-restoration activities, orchard prunings and clean urban waste. By including forestry and orchard by-products in the fuel mix, the plant will help reduce emissions from uncontrolled forestry and agriculture fires. It will also provide a solution for the region to dispose of urban waste such as tree trimmings, grass clippings, construction waste, pallets and clean demolition wood. These products are no longer accepted in California landfills.

Late last year, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUDS) announced its approval of a 20-year contract to purchase power from Buena Vista Biomass Power. This agreement will complement SMUD's 33% renewable energy supply portfolio goal by 2020.

The existing plant is home to a 150,000-pound-per-hour Alstom (EPA:ALO) circulating fluidized bed boiler, and an 18-MW Siemens Westinghouse steam turbine/generator set. Work to inspect and perform minor repairs to the boiler and refurbish the steam turbine has begun. In addition to these activities, the project will involve installation of two 70-foot truck-dumping systems, conveyor systems and other fuel-handling equipment. Plant operations will be optimized through the installation of a new distributed control system. Finally, air emissions from the plant will be reduced by installing a selective non-catalytic reduction unit, a continuous emissions monitoring system and refurbishments to the existing baghouse. The total capital investment to restart the power plant is estimated to be in the $30 million range. Buena Vista has selected Nelson Engineering Corporation (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) to provide engineering services and construction management for the plant refurbishment and restart. It is anticipated that all necessary work will be completed in order to begin plant operations in late 2010.

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