Blue Lake Weighs Risks and Benefits to Residents and River Amid Repurposing Power Plant Proposal

The Blue Lake City Council is weighing a proposal that could reshape the future of the city’s defunct power plant. At a special meeting last Thursday, as reported by Sage Alexander of the Times Standard, council members and the public received an update on a real estate deal involving Power Transitions, a Houston-based company specializing in repurposing old energy infrastructure into renewable energy projects. The company aims to transform parts of the plant into a 20-megawatt Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a facility designed to store excess electricity and redistribute it when demand is high.

Power Transitions proposes demolishing portions of the plant and utilizing existing infrastructure to integrate the BESS into the power grid. The company seeks to purchase two acres of city land, contingent upon completing the demolition at its own expense. Additionally, Power Transitions could lease four more acres for future expansion.

The project is under a tight deadline, as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has limited application windows for grid connections, with the next opportunity in March. A two-year option agreement granting the company rights to the land is set for council consideration by or before March 10.

Council discussions revealed mixed reactions according to the Times Standard article. Some members, including Councilmember Kat Napier and Councilmember Chris Firor, viewed the project’s phased approach as a viable compromise. Others, like Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, expressed skepticism about the rushed nature of the deal and transparency issues in the negotiation process. Additionally, Scafani was hesitant to make a decision without hearing from a representative of Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), a local government joint powers agency in Humboldt County, that focuses on providing sustainable energy solutions, including community choice energy, efficiency programs, and renewable energy development.

RCEA, which has been actively pursuing energy storage solutions to enhance regional grid reliability, clarified in an email statement to Redheaded Blackbelt that its current solicitation for battery storage projects is open to proposals from anywhere in Humboldt County and does not prioritize the Blue Lake site. While the agency has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City of Blue Lake to explore potential energy storage at the former biomass plant, it emphasized that this agreement “did not include or envision any specific developer.” Furthermore, RCEA stated that while the solicitation remains open, it “refrain[s] from engaging with individual developers or speculating on which projects might be preferred.”

The Blue Lake plant does present a number of advantages that make it a preferred site for the Battery Energy Storage System. RCEA stated, “This site is attractive for energy project development because of its existing grid interconnection infrastructure, which would be more expensive and take longer to create at previously undeveloped sites.”

While a BESS at the former power plant could align with RCEA’s broader goals, it is not guaranteed support or selection through the agency’s current procurement process.

A town hall meeting on Sunday drew well over a hundred attendees, according to sources, highlighting community interest and concerns. The group, largely in opposition to the BESS proposal. Additionally, a petition opposing the project, initiated by local resident Terri Bayles, has gathered 141 signatures.

Critics of the BESS facility have raised several potential risks:

• Flood Hazards: The facility would be located near the Blue Lake levee, which lacks certification and has a history of breaches (notably in 1955 and 1964). Opponents argue that flood damage could lead to water intrusion, increasing the risk of fires and toxic material release.
• Fire and Safety Risks: Lithium iron phosphate batteries, while more stable than other lithium-ion options, still pose a risk of thermal runaway, potentially leading to fires or explosions due to electrical faults, improper installation, or aging infrastructure.
• Environmental Impact: The proposed location is upstream from the Mad River’s pump station, which supplies drinking water to much of Humboldt County. Contamination from the facility in the event of a fire or flood is a major concern.
• Economic and Residential Drawbacks: Opponents argue that the project provides limited economic benefits to Blue Lake, as the stored electricity will not be locally accessible. They also fear decreased property values, increased insurance costs, and a negative impact on tourism and community development.
• Noise and Light Pollution: BESS sites require constant cooling and monitoring, potentially generating disruptive noise. Additionally, floodlights and high-voltage infrastructure could alter the aesthetic of the town.

Supporters argue that the BESS project aligns with national and state goals for renewable energy and grid stability. Energy storage solutions like this help mitigate blackouts and integrate renewable sources like solar and wind into the grid more effectively. California has been expanding its BESS capacity to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and successful projects have been implemented in various parts of the state, providing resilience during power outages and peak demand periods.

From an economic perspective, the project offers Blue Lake an opportunity to eliminate a hazardous, deteriorating structure at no cost to the city while generating potential lease revenue. Former Mayor Adelene Jones noted that the power plant site has become an “attractive nuisance,” posing safety hazards, including a recent electrocution incident.

The Blue Lake City Council is expected to revisit the BESS proposal at its meeting tonight, Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Skinner Store located at 111 Greenwood Road in Blue Lake. Residents can submit public comments via email to [email protected] until 4:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting or participate via Zoom using Meeting ID: 869 6524 7875 (Passcode: 573789).