August 18, 2025
Dear City Council,
RECEIVED
2025 AUG 18 PM2UO
CITY CLERK
Ctn OF PASADENA
I am writing about Agenda items 1 and 2 on the Consent Calendar for today.
Although I recognize that the Glenarm Gas Plant serves an important reliability purpose during the delivery system infrastructure repairs, and throughout an interim period as our city transitions to carbon free electricity, I do wish to call attention to concerns about the staff report, and to the questions that I hope the Council will ask.
1. The staff report does not acknowledge that the GLenarm Gas Plant burns methane and therefore emits greenhouse gasses. Its continuation in service is supposed to be temporary under Pasadena's Climate Emergency Resolution. Could the Council please ask staff whether the expensive repairs and upgrades ($2.9 million plus $447,000) are designed for long term or short terms operation?
2. The main and newest of the turbines is not mentioned in the staff report. The GT-5 turbine abruptly broke down in November of 2023 and was shipped to Texas for out- of-warranty repair. This is the only "combined cycle" turbine; it is described as the cleanest of the turbines and the least environmentally damaging. The public has a right to know if it has been returned to Pasadena and what the cost of its repair is.
Could the Council please ask staff for information on this?
3. There is no mention in the staff report of monitoring of Glenarm for health and safety concerns. Who is responsible for monitoring for gas leaks or repeats of the 2023 emergency breakdown? Was the 2023 breakdown of the GT-5 or the more recent problems with GT-3 and GT-4 potential threats to public safety?
4. There is a reference in the staff report to possible future use of Glenarm for "alternative fuels". This is concerning. Is there a plan to transition Glenarm to brown hydrogen or RNG that is not being disclosed to the public? This would be inconsistent with Pasadena's Climate Emergency Resolution 9977.
For such a Large expenditure for a fossil fuel plant that is supposed to be phased out, this item deserves discussion and should not be on the consent calendar.
Yours truly,
Cynthia Cannady
8/18/2025
Item 1 &2
McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
gfoster
Monday, August 18, 2025 3:06 PM
Gordo, Victor; Madison, Steve; Hampton, Tyron; Rick Cole; Jones, Justin; Masuda, Gene; Rivas, Jessica; Lyon, Jason
PublicComment-AutoResponse
08.18.2025 Consent Calendar Items 1 and 2 - Gas Turbine Repairs for Glenarm Some people who received this message don't often get email from. Learn why this is important [ I ] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. For more information about the Phish Alert Button view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal.
Dear Mayor Gordo and City Council,
Items 1 and 2 on today's Consent Calendar request approval for a total of $3,364,240 in repair costs for Gas Turbines 3 and 4 (GT-3 and GT-4) which were installed in 2002. In the meantime, Gas Turbine 5 (GT-5), installed in 2017 and the most advanced turbine at Glenarm Power Plant, is apparently still in Texas for repairs by its manufacturer at a revised cost of $4,240,405 following equipment failure in November 2023.
The staff report makes extensive references to a Power Plant Maintenance Plan which establishes "a structured approach to maintaining and upgrading the City's power generation asset." However, an information search of the City website and PWP website did not find this plan.
turbines. This is an understatement - shortages are already well recognized by industry:
httpsi//rmLorg/gasrtuibinezSup.e.ly:constraM^^
.solution s-.can-hel.D/
httpsi//www,eQwermag,cQm/gasrRoweis-boom^^^
Increasing cost of repairs for the aging Glenarm Power Plant as well as a well-documented shortage and increased cost of gas turbines for electrical generation should provide a clear incentive for PWP to invest in local renewable energy projects. Preliminary reports for the Optimized Strategic Plan (OSP) document the need for local solar generation and storage but there have not been any new proposals or actions by PWP. Nor have there been announced plans to streamline the "3-application, 5- inspection" process for approving local rooftop solar applications so that property owners can complete projects before December 31, 2025 and receive the 30% federal tax credit.
PWP remains stuck in the past. It is time for City Council to provide direction.
Sincerely,
Genette Foster, CD 2
1 8/18/2025
Item 1 &2