Las Brisas Energy Center

The Las Brisas Energy Center is a proposed 1200 MW petroleum coke-fired power plant in Corpus Christi, TX. Las Brisas Energy Center, LLC submitted an air permit application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on May 19, 2009. The proposed plant would be built on a strip of land across the Corpus Christi Bay. It is the same site as Tondu Corporation's proposed Nueces IGCC Plant, which was cancelled in 2007.

Environmental groups have been outspoken against the plant. On February 15, the Clean Economy Coalition gathered over 200 people to march along the Corpus Christi bay to protest the plant. The coalition, which includes many health professionals and medical doctors, held a news conference on February 16, where they warned that the plant would cause an increase in cases of asthma, heart attacks, cancer, and neurological problems. Asthma cases in the area are already about twice as high as the Texas state average.

According to the Sierra Club, a contested case hearing regarding Las Brisas' draft air permit is expected in November of 2009.

In January 2011, Texas regulators approved an air permit for the proposed Las Brias Energy Center. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved the air permit for the project after hearing 45 minutes of testimony.

In January 2013, Chase Power, the parent company of Las Brisas Energy Center LLC, announced that it was going out of business. The company cited financial conditions, lower natural gas prices, and new regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as reasons for halting plans for the plant. The project has also faced numerous permitting obstacles, with a District Court judge most recently ruling that the air permit failed to meet requirements of the Clean Air Act.

Project Details
Sponsor: Las Brisas Energy Center, LLC (owned by Chase Power) Location: Corpus Christi, TX Capacity: 1200 MW Type: Petroleum coke Projected in service: 2013 Status: Cancelled 2013

Citizen Groups

 * Texas Public Citizen, jcarraway [at] citizen.org
 * Clean Economy Coalition, Ann Smith, smtann AT stx.rr.com
 * Texas Sierra Club, Neil Carman, neil_carman [at] greenbuilder.com

Related SourceWatch Articles

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 * State-by-state guide to information on coal in the United States (or click on the map)