Western Power Crisis Prompts Diesel Gen-Set Boom

Diesel Fuel News, Feb 19, 2001 by Jack Peckham

California's continuing electric power crisis -- brought on by faulty legislation that prevented power cost pass-through to consumers, plus restrictive environmental regulations -- ironically has forced regulators to allow "dirty" diesel generator-set engines to operate far more frequently.

While that's a temporary boon to diesel gen-set sellers along with some fuel providers, it's not winning fans among clean-air advocates. That's because the gen-sets usually don't have particulate matter (PM) traps or strict controls to cut nitrogen oxides (NOx).

South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the metro Los Angeles air pollution regulator, just gave the okay for hospitals, police/fire stations, and other public agencies to operate diesel engines "up to 500 hours per year during an imminent or actual power blackout." That's more than twice the original 500 hour limit. The order also requires these public facilities to use ultra-low-sulfur diesel (15 ppm sulfur cap) "when reasonably available."

SCAQMD's order allowing more use of diesel gen-sets is especially ironic given that the agency is doing everything it can to ban the purchase of new diesel engines in fleets throughout metro Los Angeles, even fleets proposed to be equipped with PM traps.