By State Senator Dick Ackerman, R, 33rd District

As residents of Orange County will remember, in the year 2000 the State of California faced an unprecedented energy crisis that resulted in rolling blackouts throughout the State which disrupted tens of thousands of businesses and lives and causing great economic damage to the State.

While there was and continues to be debate surrounding the cause of the energy crisis, one thing was made evident then and remains clear today – there is an urgent need for the State to ensure access to safe and reliable sources of energy to serve our growing population and the businesses that allow so many of us to prosper in this great State.

Every year millions of new residents locate here to raise families and work in a wonderful environment. According to the Department of Finance, California’s population will grow to some 50 million residents by 2050. To remain prosperous, California needs continued access to safe and reliable energy sources.

Indeed, the need for continued investments in energy infrastructure was again made evident in July 2006 when the State experienced another unprecedented heat wave. That heat wave again forced the State to implement rolling blackouts because the demand for energy outstripped available supplies.

As a result, the State, through the Public Utilities and Energy Commissions, established a statewide policy of encouraging the State’s three investor-owned utilities - including San Diego Gas & Electric ("SDG&E) – to construct "peaker facilities."

These peaker facilities effectively work as "insurance policies" as they are designed to provide power only during those times when demand is at its highest and traditional supply has been exhausted. These small generators are insurance that provide some assurance that power will be available when we, the consumer, demand it most –typically during hot summer days.

These facilities thereby help protect us from the need for the State to institute rolling blackouts, which harm businesses, hamper the provision of medical care at hospital facilities, and harm the lives of ordinary citizens.

The peaker unit proposed to be located in South Orange County to the east of Antonio Parkway should be supported.

This type of infrastructure facilitates the implementation of the statewide policy of ensuring a reliable supply of electricity. Not only is this good for the State, but it also directly benefits Ladera Ranch because, from an engineering standpoint, the communities and businesses located close to a peaker facilities are much more likely to be the recipient of power from the facility during those times when the need for electricity generation is at its highest.

Further this peaker unit near Ladera Ranch has undergone extensive scrutiny by the County and the South Coast Air Quality Management District ("AQMD"). In its notice of intent to approve the peaker facility, AQMD stated that "Our preliminary review of the proposed project shows that it complies with all applicable Rules and Regulations of the AQMD."

Anybody who has worked with the AQMD knows first hand that it is widely known as the most stringent regulator of air emissions in the nation, if not the world. Indeed, in light of the AQMD’s stringent enforcement of its own regulations, and in light of the further fact that the AQMD has provided its tentative approval of the peaker project deeming it to be compliant with "all applicable Rules and Regulations of the AQMD," any claim that somehow the proposed air emissions of the project have either not been adequately studied or are somehow not safe is unfounded.

Any claim that the peaker project has not undergone the most severe scrutiny from the regulators or is somehow unsafe is likewise unjustified.

The proposed site for the peaker project is appropriate, this infrastructure is needed and should be supported.