Colmac Energy, Inc. owns and operates a 47 MW (net) power plant located in Riverside County, California. The Colmac plant began commercial operation in February, 1992. The facility utilizes urban wood wastes and agricultural residue fuels collected from throughout California’s Inland Empire. Through collection of agricultural residues, the plant has virtually eliminated open-field burning in the Coachella Valley. In addition, according to Riverside County officials, the plant is critical to the County’s compliance with California’s landfill diversion law as a result of its acceptance of over 300,000 tons per year of urban wood wastes that would otherwise be landfilled. The plant is located on the reservation of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.
The Colmac plant utilizes two circulating fluidized bed boilers, producing about 400,000 pounds per hour of steam to drive a single turbine-generator. The plant is under the monitoring and enforcement authority of California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District, and has operated for over 16 years without a single Notice of Violation of any rule or regulation for the protection of the environment.
The plant has operated since its entry into operation in 1992 at an annual capacity factor over 92% and a peak-hours capacity factor of over 100%. All renewable energy generated at the plant is sold to Southern California Edison under a long-term contract. The plant employs 54 persons on-site, and approximately 100 others are engaged in the plant’s fuel supply infrastructure.
Colmac Energy, Inc.
62-300 Gene Welmas Drive
Mecca, CA 92254
Phone: 805-386-4343
Contact: Phil Reese