Orange County Taxpayers Association

This letter to the editor, by Meg Waters, appeared in the Ladera News on January 11, 2008

Proposed “Peaker” generating plant in Ladera Ranch

As a resident of Ladera Ranch I support the proposed “Peaker” Plant to be located adjacent to an existing SDG&E substation. I have bought energy efficient appliances, turned off the air-conditioning, delayed using appliances and otherwise tried to reduce my power usage during the dog days of summer—but we need to step up to the plate and increase our power generation.

I understand that some of my neighbors are worried about the impacts of what amounts to a very small “spare” generator. If you were to look at the anti-power plant website you’d be scared too! The website features a picture of a huge power plant, smack in the middle of our neighborhoods spewing thick black smoke. While I don’t have any problem with an honest disagreement, I think both sides should stick to the facts. If the argument against the power plant can’t be made without resorting to gross exaggeration then it tells me something about the validity of the argument.

Here is what I understand the facts to be:

The peaker plant will be located next to an existing power station and not in neighborhoods. It is located behind a berm and will be hard to see from most homes.

· It will only operate on the hottest days when there is a threat of rolling blackouts. These days usually occur in the late summer when schools are closed, and the temperature exceeds 100°.

· The days the peaker will operate are so hot that even if children are in school, they will not be playing outdoors. They will be inside where it’s air conditioned.

· The pollution from this plant is insignificant – equivalent to an hour or so of SUVs that go up and down Antonio. And again, it’s only a few days a year. If those same SUV owners switched to hybrids, they would more than offset any emissions from the occasional use of the plant and our air would be that much cleaner 365 days a year.

· Perhaps the most disturbing claim is “Why are we opposed? The families of Ladera Ranch will bear all the risk from the construction of this power plant - but ALL SDG&E customers and, in fact, the entire power grid will benefit.” All I can say to this remarkably myopic view is we are the newcomers. We are the ones who created the growth that has resulted in the need for more power plants, more oil refineries, more landfills, more wastewater treatment facilities etc. If this little back up plant is the entire infrastructure we need to accommodate for ourselves and our neighbors then we are truly fortunate.

Meg Waters