PALMDALE – The city’s application to build a natural gas- and solar-powered electricity-generating plant big enough to power the Antelope Valley – with energy to spare – is expected to go next week to the California Energy Commission, accompanied by a $300,000 application fee. The 570-megawatt plant is intended to provide lower-cost power to major Valley employees like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, which are at a disadvantage in competing with plants in other states where electricity prices are lower than in California. “The idea is we will be able to provide power that is cheaper than Edison is providing today,” City Manager Steve Williams said Wednesday during an interview with Antelope Valley Press editors and managers. For the full story visit www.avpress.com/n/24/0724_s4.hts