Statement on Smoke from Scattergood Generating Station |
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is nearing completion on the modernization of Scattergood Generating Station in Playa Del Rey to improve reliability and remove the plant’s generating units from ocean cooling. LADWP was testing one of the new units at 10:51 a.m. on Monday, September 28, when it emitted an unusual amount of smoke. The unit was shut down at 12:13 p.m.
We apologize for causing concern among residents in the area. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has been notified that the unit experienced a problem during testing and that we are investigating the cause. No further testing of the generating unit will be done until the investigation is completed and the problem is corrected. Through the modernization project, LADWP is replacing Scattergood Generating Station Unit 3, built in 1974 with cleaner, more efficient and reliable natural gas combustion turbines that will be air-cooled, rather than using the current once-through cooling (OTC) system. By eliminating the use of ocean water for cooling, the project will help protect marine life and the environment, while reducing emissions and improving power reliability and integration of renewable energy. |