Controversial Desert View Power Plant in east valley shuts down for now

After past reviews by the Environmental Protection Agency found the Desert View Power Plant had repeatedly emitted illegally high levels of mercury and other dangerous pollutants in the eastern Coachella Valley, its operator announced this week that the plant will immediately pause its operations as it seeks a path forward.

The shutdown comes after the plant lost its sole current customer, the Imperial Irrigation District. IID Board Vice President JB Hamby confirmed Wednesday that the power purchase agreement between the district and the power plant had been terminated, saying all of the concerns he raised ahead of the contract's renewal in 2022 by a majority of the board were "completely vindicated."

The pause in operations of the Mecca plant was announced late Tuesday by Greg Cook, the CEO and president of Greenleaf Energy, Desert View's operator.

“We are deeply disappointed that a variety of issues, including California’s evolving energy market, have necessitated the difficult business decision to idle Desert View Power while we pursue a long-term solution,” Cook said in a prepared statement.

“On behalf of our 30 full-time DVP employees and the 100-plus seasonal workers who have contributed to the successful delivery of renewable energy to the eastern Coachella Valley for more than 30 years, we want to express our sincere appreciation to the community for its support,” he continued.

Referring to the IID's deal with Greenleaf, Hamby said: “I am delighted that we have had the opportunity to terminate this bad contract for the district. That plant had all kinds of EPA concerns raised regarding air quality impacts. ... I think this will be good for the region to ensure that we can move forward to continue efforts to improve air quality.”

A spokesperson for IID also said the district’s board has authorized their general counsel to pursue legal action related to the agreement, if necessary. Meanwhile, an EPA spokesperson told The Desert Sun the agency does not comment on ongoing investigations, which typically lead to a final determination on the alleged violations.

Residents have complained for years about billowing smoke plumes blowing from the plant over their homes, a school and a daycare center.

The Desert View Power Plant, which burns agricultural waste and old pallets and other wood trash from across Southern California for conversion into a renewable source of electricity, has been operating since 1992 and was purchased in 2011 by Greenleaf.

The plant has been under investigation by the EPA, whose inspectors issued a notice of violation in June 2022 against the plants' owners. They found illegally high levels of mercury, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides were emitted at various points from 2016 through 2021, in violation of the Clean Air Act's hazardous air pollutant standard. All are dangerous pollutants or are building blocks of smog and soot that can cause respiratory illness and premature deaths if inhaled at high levels or over sustained periods of time.

The EPA also concluded the owners had not done required performance tests for mercury emissions from two plant boilers in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and that they exceeded legal levels of mercury from the boilers in both 2016 and 2021. Short-term exposure to mercury can affect a person's central nervous system and cause acute illness.

Last year, Cook said the company is “striving to resolve the findings tied to this permit in the most timely manner possible.”

Peter Whittingham, a spokesperson for Greenleaf Energy, told The Desert Sun on Wednesday that the company continues to work to resolve the prior notice of violation issued by the EPA, adding that process will not be impacted by the plant’s pause in operations. He said the company has provided "substantial amounts" of records and responses to questions as part of the EPA's inquiry.

The company has also retained an outside consultant to review the plant's continuous monitor readings and inspection reports, though Whittingham said those findings cannot be shared publicly while the matter is adjudicated with EPA.

The plant reportedly produces more than 325,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year, enough to power more than 49,000 homes annually.

Whittingham said there is no concrete timeline for next steps for the plant.

EPA officials, along with the Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians, have also scheduled a community meeting to discuss the Desert View Power Plant at 6 p.m. May 14. (The plant is located on the Cabazon Band's reservation.) The hybrid meeting, which will be held at Mecca Elementary, is the second community forum on the topic, following an initial one in August 2023.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Controversial Coachella Valley power plant shut down for now