Macpherson Energy Co. and DTE Energy Services (DTEES) said the Mt. Poso cogeneration plant has been completely converted to run 100 percent biomass fuel instead of coal and is successfully delivering its full capacity of 44 MW of energy to the California grid.
The conversion project at Mt. Poso began in November 2010, and the plant began producing limited amounts of power in November 2011.
Pacific Gas & Electric buys the power.
By making "a significant investment" to convert the Mt. Poso plant, the companies said, they kept 30 jobs and created eight new ones at the facility. They said the project also created 90 jobs during construction and an estimated 100 long-term jobs at firms that supply biomass fuel and provide maintenance and other services.
