CHULA VISTA -- The planned decommissioning of the waterfront Chula Vista Power Plant, long called an “eyesore” by locals and city officials, may come sooner than previously expected. Four of the power units are now scheduled to be taken off line, the San Diego Unified Port District has announced.

Photo by: John Freeman Powering Down — The 49-year-old South Bay Power Plant will decommission half of its generators on Dec. 31, with plans for a complete shutdown in 2010.

“Dynergy, the company that holds the lease on the power plant, recently stated that they would begin taking two of the four power units off line,” said Marguerite Elicone, senior public relations specialist for the port.

“It is our understanding that Cal ISO will be removing the plant’s ‘must run’ status in 2010,” Elicone said. “This will allow the two remaining units to be decommissioned. After that, the leaseholder will begin the dismantling and cleanup of the area.”

The news was well received by the port and the city of Chula Vista, which has been attempting to rid the bayfront of the plant for the past few years.

Earlier this year, SDG&E agreed to decommission the plant by January 2010. Since then, port and city officials have held several conversations with SDG&E and the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO), responsible for regulating the state’s power grid.

Back in 2008, Cal ISO had told the city the Chula Vista power plant could not be decommissioned until more power-producing plants were established to replace it. The requirements at that time included meeting two of three conditions: completing the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission line from Imperial County to San Diego (set to begin in 2012), completing the Otay Mesa Energy Center and opening several new peaker plants designed to run during periods of high power demand.

Once the Chula Vista power plant is removed, the former site is expected to be made available for waterfront redevelopment. Resort operator Gaylord Entertainment withdrew its plan to construct a $1 billion hotel and convention center in the area a year ago, leaving the location open to other development proposals.