The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors has approved additional work associated with a major overhaul of a gas turbine generator at the El Centro Generating Station, helping ensure reliable electric service for communities across the Imperial and Coachella valleys, the California public power utility said on March 18.
The work is part of a scheduled inspection of Unit No. 2-2 at the El Centro Generating Station, a generating unit that has been in operation since 1993. During the inspection process, technicians identified several components that require repair or replacement before the unit returns to service, including generator components, bearings, and seals.
Completing this work during the planned outage will help reduce the risk of forced unplanned outages in the future and protect the long-term reliability of the generating unit.
“This action reflects the District’s commitment to taking care of the infrastructure that powers our communities,” said Karin Eugenio, Chairwoman of the IID Board of Directors. “By investing in maintenance and upgrades today, we help ensure reliable service for our customers and avoid more costly repairs in the future.”
The approved amendment increases the investment in the overhaul project by approximately $7.9 million and supports IID’s broader asset management efforts to maintain critical energy infrastructure.
“Reliability starts with taking care of the assets that keep our system running,” said Jamie Asbury, General Manager of IID. “Routine inspections and major overhauls like this are an essential part of ensuring the electric system continues to operate safely and dependably for the communities we serve.”
"The El Centro Generating Station is the heart of IID’s generation fleet. The facility produces more than 330 megawatts of electricity and supports system stability during periods of high demand to keep power flowing to homes, businesses, and farms across the region, even during the hottest days," IID said.
