Southern California Public Power Authority – 310 MW Combined-Cycle Magnolia Power Center – 2005

Matrix NAC provided the engineering, procurement, and construction for the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) Magnolia Power project -- a 310MW natural-gas-fired combined-cycle electrical generating facility in Burbank, California. Utilizing state-of-the-art combined-cycle electric generation technology providing electricity for six Southern California cities.

Two existing, decommissioned plants, Magnolia Units 1 and 2 were removed before the installation of the new combustion turbine-generator and heat-recovery steam-generator systems. Matrix also constructed a turbine-generator building stack, reclaimed wastewater cooling water tower and evaporation facilities, and the unit’s control center and administrative offices. Matrix upgraded the preexisting switchyard to handle increased power flows and existing pipelines now deliver natural gas fuel and reclaimed wastewater. To eliminate discharge into the Los Angeles River, the unit uses Burbank’s reclaimed wastewater for all of its power plant water uses and evaporates any excess reclaimed wastewater on site.

The Magnolia Power plant was recognized by Platts Power Magazine as the 2005 Project of the Year, for helping to narrow Southern California’s looming capacity gap in an innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally sound way.