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Council opens community conversation about former power plant site; RCEA says energy-storage options still worth exploring
Summary
Blue Lake’s council opened a staged community-engagement effort to examine long-term options for the former power plant site after an RCEA presentation said energy-storage development remains plausible but faces new interconnection, timing and funding constraints.
The Blue Lake City Council agreed to begin a structured community-engagement process to explore future uses of the former power plant site after a presentation by the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA).
Beth Burks, RCEA executive director, told council the 2023 MOU with Blue Lake was written to explore development of energy storage on a portion of the site and laid out two potential paths: (1) a joint solicitation to select a private developer with the city as site host and RCEA as purchaser of energy products, or (2) RCEA itself owning and operating a project leasing city land. "We were gonna jointly investigate possible pathways," Burks said, noting RCEA’s technical role is information sharing and vetting—not full community vision facilitation.
Burks cautioned that several assumptions in the MOU have changed: the interconnection recognized at signing has lapsed (the California Independent System Operator treats it as abandoned after multi-year inactivity) and federal tax credits that previously improved project affordability are no longer reliable. She said the infrastructure on site still has value, but a new interconnection application and added cost and time would likely be required.
Councilmembers and residents pressed on timing (some said demolition of the plant is urgent), potential zoning or environmental constraints, and whether RCEA could facilitate public meetings. RCEA staff said they could host technical workshops and vet feasibility but would not necessarily run broader site-visioning or zoning processes. Councilmembers proposed reviving an ad hoc committee to draft a scope for community meetings and asked staff to prepare a recommended, staged process that minimizes staff time while ensuring skilled facilitation and clear roles.
No binding commitment to a project was made. Council directed the ad hoc to meet, refresh prior research, and return with a proposed short list of next steps and a recommended role for staff and RCEA before scheduling community meetings.
