It's often thought of as one of the biggest eyesores in our community, but today PG&E plans to announce major plans to clean up the Kern power plant on Rosedale Highway and Coffee Road.
PG&E is moving forward with plans to demolish the rest of the decaying Kern power plant that hasn't been used since 1995. PG&E will make the official announcement Monday at 11 a.m.
17 News has learned the multi-year, multi-phase project will call for the large concrete plant to be torn down. It will leave the land mostly barren after PG&E hired a demolition crew to knock down several smaller buildings and the cooling towers near Coffee Road.
For decades, neighbors have called the property an eyesore. It's been an ugly counterpoint to the retail spaces across Rosedale Highway that have become such a large part of every day life in northwest Bakersfield. The huge, unattractive plant is just north of where an upscale retail and residential development is scheduled to be built at Coffee and Brimhall Roads.
PG&E spokeswoman Katie Allen says the electric company is working with the city and county to find a prospective buyer for the property.
"We are committed to cleaning up the property and once the clean up of the property is complete we believe that this property will be more attractive to suitable buyers coming up in the future," said Allen.
A deal to sell the property to world oil fell through this year.
Even after the plant is torn down, PG&E will continue to operate two power substations on the site. The substations split the property in two and may make it more difficult to develop.
