PUC OKs Power Plant at Antioch-Oakley Border
The Public Utilities Commission recently approved placing a natural gas-fired power plant on 22 acres of the old DuPont property on Bridgehead Road in Oakley near the border with Antioch.
Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover joined Oakley officials at the PUC meeting Dec. 16 to speak in favor of Oakley’s bid to approve the PG&E power plant proposal. “The City of Oakley will benefit greatly from the revenue generated by the energy plant,” said Glover, “and strengthen its financial foundation.”
Oakley, the newest city in Contra Costa, has struggled since its incorporation about 11 years ago because of its low tax base. The current recession exacerbated its financial situation.
The proposal was initially rejected by the PUC in the summer, but the project gained new life when the plant’s completion was delayed by two years to 2016. The plant would have a generating capacity of 586 megawatts. PG&E contracted with Danville-based Radback Energy for the project.