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Council approves replacement of aging generators at City Hall and Communications building amid debate over batteries vs. diesel
Summary
Costa Mesa authorized replacement of two aged backup generators after staff reported failures during recent storms; council voted 7-0 to proceed with diesel Tier 2 generator replacements for City Hall and the communications building while asking staff to study battery storage for other facilities.
The City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 18 to authorize replacement of aging emergency generators that supply backup power to City Hall and the city’s Communications building after staff said both units were more than 25 years old and had reliability problems during recent windstorms.
Public Works staff told the council the City Hall unit suffered a radiator leak during a recent storm that left portions of City Hall without power for several hours before repairs. Staff said the Communications building generator is also near the end of its service life. The council approved the purchase and installation contract after staff estimated design and installation costs and identified available capital funds; the exact contract total and vendor were recorded in the staff report and recommended motion on the agenda. The motion passed 7-0.
Council members and members of the public pressed staff on alternatives to diesel backup, including grid‑scale battery storage and solar-plus-storage systems. Several council members and a public commenter argued the city should examine battery options for resilience and emissions benefits. Staff and a public works representative said Tier 2 diesel generators were the most reliable option for large facilities that need continuous, high-demand power and that batteries present different maintenance and shelf-life trade-offs for long-term, rarely used emergency standby.
Staff noted additional implementation costs that will be required beyond the base vendor quote: Southern California Air Quality Management District permit fees and fuel-handling or polishing to reuse existing on-site diesel. The deputy public works director told council the SCAQMD permit cost quoted by vendors is approximately $30,000 per generator and that fuel polishing is an available option to reuse existing tanks rather than buying new fuel.
Council members asked whether the senior center generator (not part of this specific purchase) should be ordered now or whether that site could be planned with battery storage during its upcoming renovations; staff said the senior center lacks a generator today and that staff would study options for that location and future projects. The council asked staff to include analysis of permits, fueling logistics, and potential funding sources; staff indicated some capital funds and existing facility reserves are available and that $2.0 million in reserved funds for facilities could be tapped if needed.
The motion to proceed passed unanimously. Council members instructed staff to return with procurement details, updated cost estimates that include SCAQMD and fuel handling, and an implementation schedule; staff estimated a roughly six‑month installation timeline for the two units but warned lead times could range months depending on vendor availability.
