Last week, the council unanimously authorized a $152,500 contract with Pace Global Energy Services LLC to help the utility determine the best plan of action to modernize the plant in light of increased state and federal regulations.
The study will address how the plant can be modified to better use renewable energy sources and gas from the Scholl Canyon Landfill, while keying in on addressing other strategic initiatives, such as the reduction of greenhouse emissions and finding an alternative use for landfill gas.
“We’ve got a lot of balls in the air at the moment,” Lins said.
Improvements will aim to improve efficiency. Some of the plant’s older power-generating units “are very inefficient and expensive,” Lins said.
Grayson’s oldest turbine units, which date back more than 50 years, are desperately in need of updates, Glendale Water & Power Commission Chairman Patrick Foley said Wednesday.
“Some of them are truly antiquated, and something has to be done to update them and bring them up to current standards,” he said.
And with increased renewable energy standards from the state appearing imminent, the study will help the utility develop the best possible plan, he said.
The improvements will also help to keep residential utility rates low, another goal of the utility’s strategic plan, officials said.
The study is scheduled to be completed by September, and the utility expects to make decisions about the modernization by January, Lins said.
“We expect to spend a couple of months with the model and determine what is the best unit to put in,” Lins said.
MELANIE HICKEN covers City Hall. She may be reached at (818) 637-3235 or by e-mail at melanie.hicken@latimes.com.
