PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER The Panoche Energy Center (PEC) is the first project Apex completed as a team. It is a 400MW simple-cycle electrical generating facility located in Fresno County approximately 50 miles west of the city of Fresno. The generating facility utilizes four General Electric LMS100 natural gas-fired combustion turbine generators (CTGs). All of the electrical capacity and energy generated by the Project is being sold to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Development Process Panoche Energy Center (PEC) got its start when PG&E began the process of acquiring new peaking and dispatchable generation, located in a designated area of its service territory, with a competitively bid request for offers (RFO) issued in March, 2005.

The Principals at Apex Power Group were integral to the development of Panoche Energy Center since 2004. Mr. Jenkins led all environmental permitting efforts resulting in a California Energy Commission decision within 16 months of application. Mr. King led the technical aspects of development including conceptual design, bid preparation, electrical and gas interconnections, major equipment selection and procurement, EPC contract negotiations. Mr. Chandler (a trusted founding member of EIF) was brought in to oversee EIF’s interests as EIF’s United States Power Fund II acquired the project from Cinergy Solutions.

The California Energy Commission is the lead agency (for licensing thermal power plants 50 megawatts and larger) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has a certified regulatory program under CEQA which requires environmental analysis of the project.

Key Dates • 03/18/05 RFO issued by PG&E

• 03/28/06 20 year Power Purchase agreement signed with PG&E

• 08/02/06 Application for Certification (AFC) filed.

• 11/08/06 Commission Declares Application "data adequate."

• 09/17/07 Staff releases Final Staff Assessment.

• 11/14/07 Committee releases Presiding Member's Proposed Decision.

• 12/19/07 Commission final decision approving license for the project.

• 02/01/08 Full Notice to Proceed issued to Kiewit

• 07/01/09 Plant operational and producing commercial power.

Kiewit completed the contract to engineer, procure and construct the 400-megawatt simple cycle power plant with four GE LMS100 natural gas-fired combustion turbines. Kiewit’s vast California project experience allowed the project team to move forward quickly, working side-by-side with agencies using formal review and approval processes, including the California Energy Commission (CEC). The Panoche Energy Center is governed by all the requirements set forth by the CEC and includes strict conformance to all air quality and environment laws as required by the state of California.

Panoche LMS100 Installation

 

  Panoche was awarded Power Magazine’s 2010 Gas “Plant of the Year”

Panoche installed the first LMS-100 units in California

Panoche was within budget and online two months ahead of schedule

Panoche can deliver 400MW to the grid in less than 10 Minutes