Regional Affairs

AOPA steamed over power plants near Hayward

AOPA is concerned about not one but two proposed gas-fired turbine power plants about a mile from California’ s Hayward Executive Airport. The latest project, the Eastshore Energy Center, would have a negative impact on safety because of obscuration and turbulence created by the exhaust stacks. AOPA said in a letter to the California Energy Commission that these concerns are grounded in fact. A similar plant was built near another California landing facility, Blythe Airport, and pilots have reported a detrimental effect on their ability to land safely there. Mitigation measures were promised but not enacted at Blythe. AOPA previously asked the energy commission to reject the Russell City Energy Center near Hayward. AOPA is doing the same for the Eastshore proposal, hoping for a better outcome.

December 28, 2007