Mt. Poso Cogeneration Plant

Mt. Poso Cogeneration Plant is a biomass power station in California. As of 2012, the plant is co-owned by MacPherson Oil Company (in nearby Bakersfield, CA) and DTE Energy (a Detroit, Michigan-based utility). In 2009, the plant was owned and operated by Northern Star Generation LLC, National Petroleum Associates, and Red Hawk Energy, with each partner owning one-third. The plant provides power to nearby oil recovery fields, formerly using a blend of coal, coke, and waste tires.

Mt. Poso Cogeneration Plant has been converted to burn 100% biomass -- agricultural and residential green waste from nearby areas. DTE Energy acquired stakes from owners Red Hawk Energy and Northern Star Generation. As a biomass facility, it would produce about 44MW of power, DTE said, enough electricity to supply about 35,000 homes. Power is to be sold to California utility PG&E under a long-term power purchase agreement. DTE has completed a similar biomass conversion, the Stoneman Generating Station, in Cassville, Wisconsin, and has another under way in Stockton, California. It also operates biomass power plants in Woodland, California. and Mobile, Alabama. The biomass conversion was originally expected to be completed by September 2010, but reportedly was actually finished in February 2012, as later estimates predicted.

Plant Data

 * Owner: Mt. Poso Cogeneration Company
 * Parent Company: Red Hawk Energy, Northern Star Generation, and MacPherson Oil
 * Plant Nameplate Capacity: 62 MW (Megawatts)
 * Units and In-Service Dates: 62 MW (1989)
 * Location: 36157 Famoso Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93308
 * GPS Coordinates: 35.576316, -119.006553
 * Electricity Production: 439,168 MWh (2005)
 * Coal Consumption:
 * Coal Source:
 * Number of Employees:

Emissions Data

 * CO2 Emissions: 539,869 tons (2006)
 * SO2 Emissions: 11 tons (2002)
 * SO2 Emissions per MWh:
 * NOx Emissions: 129 tons (2002)
 * Mercury Emissions:

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
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 * Coal plant conversion projects
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 * Global warming
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