New regulations prohibit the state’s publicly owned utilities from entering into long-term financial commitments with plants that exceed 1,100 pounds (500kg) of CO2/MWh. The implementation of SB 1368 establishes a greenhouse gas emission performance standard for power plants, which was reached by evaluating existing combined-cycle natural gas-fired baseload power plants across the west of the country. The standard is the same CO2 measurement approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
The move is part of the Energy Commission's further implementation of AB 32 (Nunez), a landmark bill signed by Governor Schwarzenegger that calls for California to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases by 25% by 2020.
"Working with the Legislature, the Governor has demonstrated a clear vision with this first-in-the-nation legislation to reduce emissions," said Energy Commission chairman Jackalyne Pfannenstiel.
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