site selection considerations – oak creek power plant...

Site Selection Considerations – Oak Creek Power Plant

Expansion Project

EPRI Advanced Cooling Technologies Workshop Charlotte, North Carolina

July 8-9, 2008

Licensing New Units – Prepare for Media Coverage

Presentation Outline

1. Project Location & Overview

2.

Expansion at Existing Site

3.

Water Intake & Discharge Design

Advantages of Expanding at Existing Oak Creek Power Plant Site

1. Lake Michigan for Cooling Water

2.

Electrical Transmission

3.

Rail Infrastructure for Coal Delivery

4.

“Brownfield”

Development

Project Location: Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Project Overview -- Oak Creek Expansion (OCXP) – 2 x 615 MW

Oak Creek Expansion Project

Oak Creek Project – Looking South

Oak Creek Site - Existing Rail & Electrical Transmission Infrastructure

Oak Creek Site - Existing Rail & Electrical Transmission Infrastructure

Existing Intake Structure

Existing On-shore Intake Structure

Existing Shoreline Discharge Structures

Existing Intake Structure

Pumping Station

Intake Structure Location

Water Intake Tunnel

Cooling System Overview

Water Intake-Wedge Wire Screens

Water Intake-Wedge Wire Screens

Intake Down Shaft – 12’ Permanent Steel Pipe Section

Tunnel Boring Machine

27’ Diameter Water Intake Tunnel

Intake Forebay Construction

Oak Creek Expansion – 2 x 615 MW

Lake Michigan

Outfall 013

Discharge Structure – WPDES Permit Outfall 013

Advantages of Open Cycle

1.

Most thermally efficient –

lowest

amount of coal per unit of electrical energy production;

2.

Lowest emission rates, including CO2

, per unit of electrical production of any cooling technology;

Advantages of Open Cycle

3.

Costs less to build and operate; and

4.

Eliminates visual impact of cooling tower and related vapor plumes.

Open Cycle Permitting

1.

316(a) Variance –

development of

alternative effluent limits for heat addition to Lake Michigan; and

2.

316(b) Best Technology Available (BTA) decision for Cooling Water Intake Structure.

Cooling Water – 316(a)

316(a) Evaluation:“…can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Administrator (or if appropriate, the State) that… control of the thermal component of any discharge… will require effluent limitations more stringent than necessary to assure the protection and propagation of a balanced indigenous population…”

Cooling Water – 316(a)

Cooling Water – 316(a)

In conclusion, the scientific evidence presented to the Department supports the conclusion that the thermal discharge from the OCPP, the proposed OCXP and the combined discharges will “…assure the protection and propagation of a balanced indigenous population of shellfish, fish and wildlife…” in and on Lake Michigan. (Source: Wisconsin DNR)

Cooling Water – 316(b)

“…we believe that… the OTCW system will maintain substantially similar levels of fish and shellfish within the waterbody to that achieved using a cooling tower. Our judgment is based upon a critical review of the submittal and our collective understanding of the Lake Michigan fishery. (Source: Wisconsin DNR)

Cooling Water – 316(b)

We also concur with Dr. Kitchell’sconclusion that “…the major regulators of fish population dynamics in Lake Michigan are the direct and indirect ecological interactions affected by both fishery management practices and the invasions of exotics.” (Source: Wisconsin DNR)

Conclusions about Open Cycle System: :

Offshore screens essentially will eliminate impingement of fish.Entrainment reduction expected due to offshore location and design.The open cycle system with wedge-wire screens will maintain substantially similar levels of fish and shellfish within the waterbody to that achieved using cooling towers and also provides:

Conclusions about Open Cycle System:

The most thermally efficient process (roughly 2-4% loss w/cooling towers);

Lower air emission rates, including CO2

Lower capital and O&M costs

Avoids visual impacts associated with cooling towers.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?