Geothermal, Solar Power Facilities May Have Been Damaged In 62,000 Acre Valley Fire
MIDDLETOWN (CBS SF) -- Alameda Municipal Power reported Monday that geothermal and solar power facilities near Middletown may have been damaged in the 62,000-acre Valley Fire, currently burning through Lake, Napa, and Sonoma counties.
These facilities don't power Alameda directly but they are a part of AMP's power supply, according to AMP officials, and the extent of any damage is not yet clear.
Despite the potential damage to those facilities, however, service to customers remains uninterrupted, AMP officials said.
AMP's power supplier, the Northern California Power Agency, has a variety of power sources and keeps combustion turbines at Alameda Point on standby in case other power plants should fail, according to AMP.
"This diverse mix of generation places AMP in a far less vulnerable position when disasters like this occur," AMP general manager Glenn Steiger said in a statement. "This event underscores the value of diversification but also the importance of planning for our energy future."
AMP representatives declined further comment regarding the specific damages to the facilities.
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