The same clueless, dipsticks that brought you Heartburn of the City last decade now bring you an ill thought plan to close the powerplant, needless to say, resulting in either an illegal "taking" of the land though bogus zoning or a bunch of new commercial and housing. I'd rather have the plant.

The same clueless types that brought us Heartburn of the City and a plan for 5000 condos last decade now want to replace the power plant yet again. 10 years later and same old stuff. And you can't "fix" this with zoning, that's an illegal "taking" of the property rights.

I tell you what Cyndi, I resent be referred to as a "clueless dipstick". I'm a southbay native,64 yrs old, I vote in every election & I'm a citizen of Redondo Beach. I DON'T WANT A POWER PLANT IN MY FRONT YARD ANY LONGER. I never been one to speak out for or against any issue until now, I usually read everything I can and vote for what I think is best for my city, county, state or for the USA. The power plant was built on the site during a different era, it is now ill placed in bedroom communities. I lay awake at night when it runs listening to the hum and the occasional seal barking from the harbor. I don't know how close you are to the plant but when the operators loose control of the pressure and they have to do a release, it can be anytime day or night, the sound if defting. So take some time and get your facts straight and don't call people names, it's not nice or ladylike.

Cyndi, we invite you to read the facts about this. The power plant MUST be retired by 2020 according to California law as it's a once-through-cooling plant that uses ocean water. The law has changed. AES provides approximately 1/10 of 1% of power to the California grid, is NOT designated as a MUST RUN facility, and operates at 5% capacity.

There is excess Megawatt capacity in our Local Reliability Area WITHOUT this plant. We're asking residents to join us in supporting retirement of a power plant location at our waterfront, which will be decided by a combination of the CEC, CAISO, CPUC and other governing regulatory agencies.

AES has filed plans for a new plant that would exponentially increase the pollution and noise at this site, adjacent to the most densely populated coastal community in California. It doesn't make sense. Re-zoning is not a "taking of property" as you claim, please look that up. And no, we are NOT advocating condos. It's time for our community to learn the facts, understand the risks associated with the impact of the AES' proposal, exercise our own POWER (not the electrical kind) and demand that our community not expose thousands of people to unnecessary and unneeded pollution.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but we encourage you to read the facts before you call names and cite erroneous information. In fact, you might want to go to one of the presentations offered on the subject and read the reports of the regulatory agencies.

Everyone who does not use electricity, raise your hand! Well, I don't see any hands going up. Do to voltage drop, more smaller plants produce less pollutants than giant remote power plants. I get more noise from my neighbor blowing his nose than from the AES plant. Natural gas powered generating plants are the cleanest source of electricity we currently have. We don't need a park! We have miles of beaches. We have some of the highest property values in the country maybe, because we have affordable power. I like electricity. Keep the plant and run it more often.

I dont get it, how do any of you expect to get power? We cant get all the hydro electric power from the colorado river, all the invironmentalists to taering down our dams making power more expensive. poeple are now affraid of nuclear power so this is not an option if you have any sense. This "not in my front yard" business means you must move if you dont like it! The power plant has been here about 100 years so learn to live with it. I have for 40 years. Those of you who bought cheap expect to win the lottery by taking it away. I choose to have economical power, I just dont stare at the plant all day. If it ended up leaving becuase of some twisted land swap, we better not build on it! It better be a park only but I think the plant should be rebuilt the same size so we can get more power out of it. You know if it is being sold as a park the city will develop on part of it which should never happen, no deal! The city cant even take care of our pier! Anyway all you yuppies are going to need the power to charge your Prius! Duhh, go to the seaside lagoon if you want a seaside park. Some of you make no sense at all.

Wolfman,
Edison did not 'Get Rid' of the power plant. They were forced, by government regulation, to either generate power or distribute power. They chose the distribution network. Also, I believe the land where the storage tanks were is a separate property and still belongs to SCE. The power from the Redondo plant goes into the grid which, we all get our energy from. Perhaps the power plant could be down sized if it were rebuilt with more efficient equipment and a portion of the land restored to a natural state. I just don't think we need another park, we actually have a dog park! As far as me taking my electricity why don't you disconnect from the grid and that will leave more for the rest of us.

Whether the Redondo Beach AES plant operates, rebuilds or not has nothing to do with the cost of power. That issue is decided by the Public Utility Commision. The AES Redondo Beach plant is not needed, California has been added capacity to the grid ever sine the brown & blackouts of 2000/2001 era. Do any of you remember oil derricks dotting our landscape, US Steel in downtown Torrance, American Standard & Pittsburg Paint on Crenshaw, US Navy warehouses where Wilson park now sits, and countless other examples of our industrial past. Yes for the past 100+ years power generation at the AES Redondo site has occured but does that mean for the next 100+ years it should continue. Change in our Southbay landscape has occured because of one specific reason, the citizens want a better life for themselves and their family. I know change is difficult and this topic has many sides and emotion runs deep. As for myself, I'm old enough to remember the way things were and forward thinking enough to know that I probably won't see the 55+ acres developed into something every citizen of the Southbay can say, gee Redondo Beach really got it right this time.

The 2010 report by the CEC/CAISO/CPUC/SWRCB shows the Redondo plant is no longer required for power reliability, due to new power sources already added to the system. We all know that the current plant is not providing the grid with virtually any power. It produces less than 1/10th of 1% of California's power and runs at less than 5% capacity. This ocean front location would never be considered for a new Power Plant. It is incompatible with surrounding uses, exposing the single most densely populated coastal community (Hermosa Beach) to dangerous pollutants. This is no place for a new power plant. Two plants in San Francisco and one in Chula Vista have already been decommissioned because they were no longer compatible with surrounding uses. Because of excess capacity, another coastal plant in Southern California will be decommissioned...it should be AES Redondo.

It would be nice if AES would invest in renewable energy instead of trying to put us through a slow death with their archaic pollution spewing fossil fuel approach. I wonder how their employees sleep at night knowing that they are supporting an approach that will result in adverse health effects for all those in the South Santa Monica Bay area.

AES is considering repowering to make the plant cleaner, so that it won't spew pollutants (which I find hysterical, since some of you complainers live so close to PHC that the exhaust of all the cars is far more unhealthy than what AES produces); there is PLENTY OF ROOM on that site for a repowered, cleaner plant; sports fields and park space; and desal. It does not have to be one or other other. Anyone who thinks NOT having locally produced electricity and water in these uncertain economic and political times has their head in the sand. And, judging by the recent influx of several dozen new filthy drug addict crazies who are apparently now squatting in Redondo from Riviera Village to King Harbor Marina, I think an unsupervised, uncontrolled regional park is going to be filled with unsanitary homeless just like Kenneth Malloy Memorial Park and Machado Lake.

We are not buying it Rennie P. Your compassion for Redondo residents and the homeless is unsurpassed! Maybe we can turn the AES property into a sort of new Valley of the Lepers or Valley of the Homeless. That way you will not need to assist or look at them. Simply because Redondo Beach residents live near PCH is a stupid argument for subjecting South Bay residents to more pollution. The new AES plant is going to be a huge, loud, polluting eyesore relying on plankton & fish egg killing desalination for the cooling tower water. AES should sell the property and invest in renewable energy projects like the World Energy Center Project in the high desert of LA County. We should get behind projects like this and tell polluters like AES that this is how we want our electricity produced, via clean, renewable alternatives. The high desert of LA County has amongst the best solar radiation levels in the world. It is truly a clean resource we have barely tapped into. Northern LA County is fast becoming one of the leading energy centers in the United States with several large and small electrical generating facilities currently in operation or under development. The World Energy Center will develop 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy systems (not to mention jobs!). The Center is working on several development sites suitable for large-scale project development within the 500,000 acres of usable land in the clean energy corridor. This is the proper alternative Rennie P. & AES.

Dear Redondo Beach Mayor and City Council:
Please show me an example of a park and/or successful commerce, in a densely populated area, coexisting with a huge fully operational cooling tower/desalination based power plant. Do you expect 9 years of construction to result in a quiet little power plant that families and kiddies will play by? Are your kids or grandchildren going to play in a park while the chemical laden mist of the cooling towers rains down on them? Will the loud humming of the plant muffle children’s laughter? Will Shade Hotel guests get a good night sleep with the 70 dB noise? What kind of health issues will result from tons of carbon monoxide, NOx, Ammonia and other dangerous pollutants pouring down on south bay residents and the ocean? I predict a big, fully operational power plant resulting in increased blight and decreased surrounding property values...simply put a toxic environment. What's your vision? What's AES's vision? I want to know now before it is too late to do anything about it. Please tell me you have plans to do something besides acting like a lame duck mayor and council too cowardly to do anything about our future. AES's power plant vision is submitted. Can we afford to wait hoping that AES will create some mythical one of a kind power plant/commerce/park Utopia?

Currently, AES consistently exceeds loud noise codes/ordinances and doesn’t even issue an explanation or apology to the community. City officials, code enforcement personnel do nothing to enforce the noise/nuisance ordinance (code)? AES managed to run a deceiving campaign, which resulted in them not having to pay taxes. They did it legally...I guess. AES's actions, thus far, have led me to believe that they are a bad neighbor, truly Machiavellian, and driven only by profits. Is there an example of AES good will other than campaign contributions to councilman Steven Diels and a $15,000.00 donation for park improvements in councilman Diels’s district (guess who AES is endorsing for the next Redondo Beach Mayor?)? Is there a better example of legalized graft? Oh yes, they were probably influential in having Mr. Wayland repaint the beautiful yet somewhat ineffective landscape pollution screen. So far all AES has done is submit plans for a new power plant. There are no guarantees we will have a park even if we wanted one next to a loud toxic plant. Typically, when an entity has plans to negatively affect a community for years and years they make some sort of pledge to offset the impact. So far all I have witnessed is sheer arrogance and no plans to improve anything. Mayor and Council please wake up and do something before it is too late. Will you be proud knowing that you did nothing stop it?

Wow, so many comments-- lots of dialogue which is great. We clearly need more residents involved in this important issue.
@ Rennie - RB definitely needs to conserve water but Desalination is the last thing we need to do. Ironic that the private, 'for profit' companies have not embarked down this path-- won't even consider it due to it being way too expensive. But with taxpayer money, the Water Board will of course, consider this. Let's see some leadership on this issue from our city first trying the many other solutions that won't have our water prices FLY through the roof.

And as far as AES repowering to make the plant CLEANER, c'mon it's still a gas powered plant, they aren’t going from gas to solar. Have any of you even read their new plan? We can’t believe anything AES says as they are notorious for misleading residents to benefit their own pocketbook. They are still asking for major exemptions from the State because the new plant will still emit all sorts of dangerous pollutants into our air and with much greater frequency. This is a valid concern and serious health issue for both the RB and HB families living in that area. And although the emissions from cars are a problem, we can't all ride our bikes everywhere (although we should try). But that does not justify rebuilding a plant on California's coast now that the ocean water cooling process is no longer permitted.

(cont' from above)
This plant needs to retire and AES can sell their land, or develop it (as long as RB residents control the type of development) and they can build a new plant where its industrial use will be more suitable to surrounding uses. As Walt mentioned above, our community has drastically changed and we need to keep the needs of our community and safety in mind, given the dense housing surrounding this plant. Plus, the MOST IMPORTANT item that most of us should be considering is if the agencies have stated there are enough new plants coming online and enough extra megawatt capacity including emergency backup power all going to our grid, and they will retire one LA County plant in the next few years, WHY ON EARTH would we not want to have this one retired? Retiring this one or another one isn't going to make our electric bills higher. We should be voting to retire the one blighting our coastal community and the plant located in the most densely populated area. And that just happens to be AES Redondo.

We need residents to get involved so all sides are heard and we get the facts (most important) and work TOGETHER to do the right thing for all residents in RB. There are so many cities with strong, active communities that are accomplishing great things for their communities. Redondo residents are educated and very talented...we need to be seeking solutions with common goals. Great things happen in communities where residents get involved. :)

Thank you Redondo Patch and Judy Ellis for bringing this important matter to more South Bay citizens. I have lived in Redondo for 43 years and love the beauty of this coastal community. Now we have a chance to make it an even better city by speaking out against the rebuilding of this power plant (the major blight in our city) and envisioning something much better for future generations -- a park on 70% of the land and commercial/educational development on the other 30%. A power plant is not needed here and does not belong here for the health of our densely populated communities and for the health of our ocean. Go to www.nopowerplant.com to get the facts about this, and if you are convinced as I am, donate to help make this come about. Cheryl Tchir

Why do people buy or rent homes near power plants, airports, bars and nightlife and then complain about noise, polution, parking ect. ?

Or near stables and horse trails and then complain about flies and manure; or near communities with peacocks and then want to kill all the peacocks - they do it because they can, and because they think their point of view is the only correct one. No room for other opinions, other viewpoints. CAVE: Citizens Against Virtually Everything. Interestingly, I was attacked for not being compassionate about the explosion of homeless in Redondo. Kind of the opposite thing. I moved here to get away from that aspect of urban living - Redondo has historically had very little homeless compared to other county locations. I didn't move to Santa Monica and then complain about it; I didn't move to Downtown LA and then complain about it. We haven't had an existing homeless problem since 1948. Yet I complain about a NEW blight, and I am excoriated for pointing it out....and being against it!

@Rennie- water conservation is important, very important. But let's seek out successful solutions to address the problem. Starting with the MOST expensive option doesn't make business sense.

AES Redondo isn't a critical plant for our grid, so if our county is considering retiring one, this one makes the best sense. And as far as sick residents in this community, you apparently haven't heard the many stories of children with asthma that live or have lived near the power plant. The public health risk is real and serious. The only reason AES has gotten away with existing in this community for this long is because 1) people in our community are busy and aren't quite as active and 2) because AES has used their dirty money to mislead residents and deceive the public about the truth. They are a multi-national company based back east, and could care less about the harm they do to our local families and community. AES RB President Eric Pendergraft is certainly NOT someone we can trust. Heck, if residents knew the truth about the shady things he's done, people would start getting more vocal. This is the sort of man and company that is behind AES Redondo. (He's lucky he didn't end up in jail) Read this: http://mail.consumerwatchdog.org/utilities/nw/nw002879.php3

Please go to www.nopowerplant.com and review the FAQ for answers to all of the questions posed in this comments section. Guess what was here before this polluting power plant? A beautiful salt lake. It is a state landmark that has been completely obliterated by AES. AES is no longer compatible with surrounding uses. More importantly, it also doesn't provide us with power. We have a 26% surplus of energy because of new sources that have already been added. A coastal Power Plant will be retired in Southern California...it should be AES Redondo.

Christine, What are you going to do when the city and the L A and Cal water boards try to get rid of the seaside lagoon next year.

What does that have to do with a power plant?

It shows you how this city operates

Wolfman, I agree that the city doesn't always do the right things. And that is exactly why residents in this city should appreciate those getting active and donating their time to fight the corruption. Thanks to Building a Better Redondo, the residents now have a vote so greedy folks in positions of power cannot take over our city-- this is the benefit of measure DD. Please click on the link in my above post about the illegal scandal Mr. Pendergraft was involved in. He took part in swindling millions of dollars from So Cal residents manipulating the local energy market.

I wish all these pasty kooks would go back to the east coast.
We need electricity, what we don't need is more condos and useless shopping centers. You people have your heads buried in the sand if you think the land that runs underneath the high voltage lines all along 190th st. will be converted into a park after the removal of the plant.
A few will benefit with the removal of the plant as they slice up the land and parcel it out to developers, while the rest of us will be left with the burden of an even denser community, and increased energy costs.

@ Steve, the land underneath the voltage lines all along 190th may have to stay, we don't know yet. The 50 acres down on the waterfront is the land that the residents want rezoned. AES' contract is up in 2018 and many prefer this plant gets retired. It doesn't provide power to the south bay now so retiring it isn't going to increase energy costs. Since deregulation, numerous plants have been approved and these new plants are currently being built and going online by 2015. AES Redondo no longer has any buffer to protect residents of Redondo and Hermosa from the dangerous emissions. And condos are not an option--- a small amount of commercial to help the waterfront businesses and bring the city revenue. The zoning that is being drafted is going to be very strict. (And if you didn't want a shopping center, well let's hope you voted against Measure G. Because Measure G passed and what we'll have down near Ruby's diner is going to be just that-- a shopping center. Most residents don't get the facts and they believe the marketing materials AES and several others sent out to confuse the residents.

The AES land will not be zoned for a shopping center nor condos. We believe once the majority of residents have the accurate info (not speculation, fear or inaccurate data), the majority will be happy to see the war zone environment and toxic air pollution go away by retiring the AES plant.

Are you kidding me?
The land underneath the lines will be developed on the second that plant is removed.
What do you think those lines are there for?... Obviously the power plant.

With the plant gone you'll get your postage stamp of a park and everything east of it will be dense development (that this city can not sustain) all the way back to Flagler.

And it's laughable how all of you people against AES keep complaining about "toxic emissions".
Natural gas power is extremely clean, the byproducts are simply CO2 and water vapor, a newer plant would only be cleaner and more efficient than the existing plant, plus the infrastructure to support the power being generated is already in place.
Tearing down functioning infrastructure that could support a modern, clean, natural gas burning power plant, only to build it somewhere else hundreds of miles away does need seem very environmentally friendly.

First, BBR intends to put the zoning up to a vote of the people via an initiative. But regardless of the initiative, any major change in zoning has to go to a vote of the people per the City Charter. So residents will get a say in any zoning change of the power plant site and the power lines if the power line right of ways become available

Next, the current plant operates at less than 5% capacity but is still included on the Top 100 California Polluters List, despite the fact that it is equipped with the latest emission controls. If a new plant is built, it will likely run more often to be economically viable, which will dramatically increase air pollution in the South Bay. Based on environmental data filed by AES for their new plant in Riverside, we have calculated the amount of PM10 (particulate) pollutants the new Redondo Plant would produce. If the new plant runs at 60% capacity (like AES' Environmental Report states they will), the plant will produce the equivalent of 2.4 million average family automobiles running for a year. Even if the new plant runs just 5% of the time (like the current plant), it will produce the equivalent of 120,000 average family automobiles running for one year. This pollution aspect is the biggest factor in making the plant incompatible with surrounding uses. Densely populated residential areas immediately surround the plant on every side without protective buffers.

Building a Better Redondo has proposed a mix of 70% Park (think Central Park of the South Bay) and 30% Commercial uses. You can view a slide show of a couple of incredible park options that were developed by Studio 606 (a Landscape Architect Team from Cal Poly Pomona) for a study commissioned by the California Coastal Conservancy at http://aesredondomustgo.blog.com/slide-shows/

If you don't know what will happen to the power lines when the power plant is removed then you are an imbecile.
The lines will be removed, and the land will be developed. It is a simple concept, but all of you money grubbing kook transplants from the east coast are to blind to see that.

And again as far as electricity production goes, a natural gas turbine type plant is among the cleanest and safest method of energy production. It is funny to think how NGVs are considered to be such a green form of transportation yet you people think a natural gas plant is so terrible. A brand new natural gas plant would be an extremely clean and intelligent form of producing electricity considering we have the existing infrastructure in place to handle the plants production.
But please Jim, go on and tell me I'm embarrassing myself again, please type away at your computer in your well lit residence while you tell me the South Bay does not need a brand new, modern, efficient, and clean power plant.

And Sheri, what makes you think I care about the new Shade Hotel or whatever it is called? If all the hotels in Redondo went bankrupt and fell of the face of the earth I couldn't care less. I own a home in Redondo, I don't need a plethora of swanky hotels filled with posers trying to turn what little is left of this beach town into an even bigger concrete abomination of shopping centers and fitness clubs.

there is a reason why they are called Con Edison back east

I see a patten in many of these comments. The folks that are working to get the power plant removed and replaced with uses more conducive to a densely populated region, uses such as open space, parkland and non-industrial are very respectful in their tone, have a wealth of accurate facts to back up their assertions and are well-spoken. Those that seem to be against this vision use name-calling and throw out statements that are not supported by facts. It is fine to disagree, but don't be disagreeable. If you make a statement, back it up with references to studies, agencies, etc like many on the side working to replace the plant are doing. If you use name-calling or don't back up your opinions, I pretty much filter out what you say. Be civil and back up your statements.

Reading back through earlier comments, a thought of my own:

@Kevin, 9:05pm on Monday, September 26, 2011

I use electricity and it comes from the Sun, generated by the solar PV system on our home's roof. It provides enough electricity to power our entire house, charge our 100% battery electric vehicle and still put clean, renewable energy into the grid. We now generate more electricity than we use and the amount of clean, renewable energy being developed nationwide (wind, solar, geothermal, etc) continues to grow. Natural gas is not clean, when burned or when extracted from the ground (fracking is polluting our water supplies). Time for fossil fuels and AES to go the way of the dinosaurs. :)

I rather have the power plant rather than more people

Yeah, just like the overpopulated village people but I hope you are right as Redondo Beach for years was in the hands of real estate agents, developers and their illegal contractors.