Spring is here and the hills are covered in plumes. I could see this morning's emissions from MEC on Monterey road when I was still 3 miles south of the plant. It looked as though it created it's own little cloud.

According to http://www.metcalfenergycenter.com/

Will there be a steam plume?

In modern power plant construction, the water vapor normally rising above the cooling towers or stacks is called a "plume". The Metcalf Energy Center will include "plume abatement" technology in the project design in order to meet the high visual standards proposed for North Coyote Valley. The system is designed to prevent prominent plumes during normal weather conditions year-round when equipment is in normal operation
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Currently the plant is not in normal operations. But if you see a plume after June call the CEC: 800 858-0784

I am concerned about the number of startups and shutdowns this plant will be making since it does not seem to have any long term contract for delivering power. As a way of reducing pollution it was supposed to have promised a limited number, in the infamous agreement with the city.
According to http://www.metcalfenergycenter.com/
Calpine will sell the full output from the plant to its wholly owned subsidiary Calpine Energy Services, L.P. (CES). CES will sell power to large wholesale customers and into the daily energy market. It will also manage the purchase and delivery of natural gas used to fuel the facility under a three-year power purchase and fuel supply agreement.
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Selling into the daily energy markets by traders in Houston TX, sounds good to me! We know how much Texan traders love our California Grandmothers.

Tim Alton