The new facility will be built on the grounds of the outdatedSan Fernando Valley Generating Station in Sun Valley. The originalplant opened in 1954, when the area was little more than acollection of dirt roads, agricultural fields and a few new housingtracts.

When completed in 2004, officials at the Department of Water andPower say, the new plant will produce about 500 megawatts at day.That's enough to supply power to about 450,000 homes.

Residents in many Southland areas have recently fought backattempts to build new plants in their communities, despite anenergy crisis that has sent their utility bills soaring by as muchas 200% or even 300%. But homeowners and commercial property ownersin Sun Valley voiced little opposition to the DWP's plan tomodernize the facility in their neighborhood, mostly because thenew and more powerful plant will be built with new technology thatwill result in less pollution than the '50s-era plant currentlyemits.