HAYWARD — An explosion at the Russell City Energy Center that sent debris hurtling through the air, including some that landed beyond the property, has prompted the city to say it will oppose a request by the power plant operator to begin operations again until more is known about the cause of the explosion and until a review of the potential environmental and health impacts of the proposed resumption is complete.
The explosion of the steam turbine happened just before midnight May 27, prompting a fire at the plant, which is located at 3862 Depot Road and run by Houston-based Calpine.
No injuries were reported. But the debris field from the blast was extensive, including one piece weighing 15 pounds that crashed through the roof of an unoccupied trailer at the city’s Housing Navigation Center at Whitesell Street and Depot Road, some 1,200 feet away. The Navigation Center provides transitional shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Another piece, weighing 51 pounds, landed at the city’s Water Pollution Control Facility at 3700 Enterprise Ave.
“Given what transpired, we believe it would be premature to proceed with a restart until we understand the root cause of the turbine failure and whether facilities in place to contain the explosion performed as intended,” Mayor Barbara Halliday said in a statement. “It also is essential that we understand the potential environmental and health impacts to our community of Calpine’s proposal to resume plant operations.”
Calpine’s Russell City Energy Center, which began operations in August 2013, generates electricity from natural gas and generally is relied upon to deliver power during peak periods of demand primarily in summer months.
The steam turbine that experienced the catastrophic failure is associated with cooling and heat and carbon containment aspects of plant operations and is not essential for electricity generation, according to the city.
The city announced Monday that it would be opposing Calpine’s application.
On June 3, Calpine submitted an application to the California Energy Commission to restart the center at a reduced energy-generation capacity through bypassing the steam turbine.
The application to restart the plant received provisional staff-level approval from the commission on June 18. A 14-day public comment period before a final decision will close on Friday.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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