CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -- SENATE

February 4, 1969

Page 2674

POWER PLANT SITE SELECTION

Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, for some time I have been concerned with the environmental impact of large thermal powerplants, whether powered by nuclear or fossil fuels. Their size, increasing number and potential influence on our environment make it imperative that we select the sites for such plants with great care to reduce the potential damage from such plants to an absolute minimum.

The Power Plant Site Selection Report from the Office of Science and Technology, released on January 5, is one of the most significant joint reports on environmental problems prepared by government agencies. It provides a factual basis for evaluation of the dimensions of those problems, and it offers a sensible and effective series of recommendations for meeting them. If those recommendations are followed, we need not "lock the barn door after the horse has been stolen" by correcting environmental damage after it has been caused by large powerplants.

The agreement by the several agencies on the recommendations contained in the report should make it easier for us to enact requirements for site selection and planning procedures for those plants coming under the jurisdiction of Federal agencies, and for States to develop similar procedures. The Water Pollution Control Act Amendments passed by the Senate last year incorporated such procedures with reference to plants licensed, authorized or assisted by Federal activities.

These procedures are again included in S. 7, the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1969, and I intend to press for enactment. I also intend to offer legislation later in this session which will follow the guidelines of this report in setting comprehensive standards to assist the energy -producing industries of our country in determining the sites of their new installations.

This report effectively stresses the broad and urgent nature of the problem. I ask unanimous consent that the "Background and Highlights of the Report" be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the excerpt was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

CHAPTER II. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF SITE INTRODUCTION

The siting of thermal electric generation plants has grown more complex with each passing decade. As the sizes of generators, boilers, and associated equipment have grown the problems of site location have increased.

The future requirements for electrical energy and the trends in recent years with regard to power plant sizes places greater emphasis on the problems of plant location. The present-day concepts of large fossil-fired plants will be met with greater problems of air and water quality control as an increasing number of plants are constructed across our Nation. The increased use of nuclear power plants will help to alleviate the problems of maintaining control of air quality but will tend to aggravate the control of thermal releases to sources of cooling water. The present emphasis on beautification and aesthetics of the power plant, transmission lines, and surrounding area will be continued and will present additional challenges in selecting and developing power plant sites.

The same features that make a site ideally suited for a generating plant also make it well suited for the development of an industrial plant. Large industries usually require substantial land areas and provisions for future expansion are frequently taken care of in the initial site acquisition.

Some plants must be located near a highway, railroad, and/or body of water for barge transportation and a source of process water. Therefore, many good generating plant sites are being developed by industries or are being acquired by them for future development; and competition for choice waterfront sites often occurs.

The increasing use of waterfront sites for recreation purposes has led to competition between industrial developers, recreation project developers, and power plant site developers for the better waterfront sites. A prime objective in overall planning for the Nation's needs must be to see that the rapidly dwindling supply of good waterfront sites is used to the utmost advantage. It is evident that as time progresses the Nation's ever expanding population is going to be required to live, work, and play closer and closer together and that generating plants will be part of that more crowded scene. Generating plants must be developed in such a manner as to make them good neighbors in all respects -- worthy additions to the landscape and the environment as they produce the power so essential to continued economic growth and national progress.

SITE LOCATION

Proximity to load centers

The economics of locating thermal electric generating plants near load centers is undergoing very rapid change. The requirements with regard to air quality control and aesthetics of the plant and the surrounding area place greater restraints on the development of plant sites located near load centers. Thus far, most nuclear plants have been located some distance from population centers, but it is expected that as more experience is gained in the design, construction and operation of nuclear plants the use of locations nearer population centers is probable.

Location of coal- or oil-fired plants near concentrations of population is being met with greater opposition as people are becoming more concerned about air quality. The future use of coal- and oil-fired plants will require greater investments for electrostatic precipitators, as well as for means of controlling sulfur dioxide and other gases discharged from the stack.

The modern power plant uses large amounts of water for dissipation of the heat rejected. Large fossil-fired plants normally require condenser flows of about 0.8 to 1.2 cfs per mw of capacity while light water nuclear plants of the same output require half again as much. The control of heat rejected to lakes and streams by power plants has become a problem of increasing magnitude as power plants have grown in size and other uses of our lakes and streams have increased. Lakes and streams near large cities are used, among other things, for transportation, industrial processes, recreation, municipal water supplies, and sewage disposal. As our population has grown and the water oriented industries, as well as electric power plants, have increased in number and in size, the varied uses of the lakes and streams have increased as have the demands for "cleaning up" the bodies of water.

Highway, rail, water access

Good highway access is mandatory for large modern stations. The highway will provide access for plant construction and operation, and depending on development of rail and/or water access, may serve for delivery of all or part of construction and operation materials and equipment and fuel. The standards for the highway will depend on weight, type, and volumes of traffic to be handled.

Rail or water access is very desirable for delivery of heavy equipment and for fuel (except at some nuclear plants, coal-fired mine mouth plants and at gas- and oil-fired plants served by pipeline) and where feasible, use of both usually is economical. Water access is especially desirable for delivery of large shop-fabricated and assembled reactor vessels, although field assembly is becoming more common. The standards for the railroad and docking facilities will depend on the volume of material to be handled.

If coal is to be delivered by rail or water (or both), major consideration must be given to waterfront or to rail facilities. Dally coal requirements of large modern stations demand careful coordination of the design of coal-receiving facilities, both for efficiency of operation and effect on freight charges resulting from delay in return of cars or barges to the carrier.

The cost of the access highway and railroad and the distance between the site and a principal public highway or railroad must be evaluated in site selection along with other factors.

Foundations

One of the most important factors in choosing a site is to determine that geological conditions are such that a satisfactory foundation for the plant structures is available.

The selection of a site should consider the presence of faulting which could present foundation problems, such as instability of rock foundation during an earthquake or the necessity for extensive excavation due to crushed and broken rock. Preferably a site should have no active faults. Possible cost variations due to differences in foundation conditions must be carefully evaluated.

Meteorology

The relationship of meteorology to the physical requirements of siting an electric generating plant is an important consideration, especially in designing the air pollution control features of the plant. Meteorological parameters should be identified on a seasonal and annual basis from measurements made at the site or from representative data recorded at nearby points. The frequency and severity of such phenomena as tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, ice storms, and sandstorms should be estimated using the environmental science data records for the area. The design standards for the plant and its associated equipment should reflect the effects of this meteorological information. The problem is discussed in detail in Chapter IV dealing with air pollution.

Hydrology Flooding.

Unless the site area is diked for protection, plant grade for all plants should be set above the elevation of the greatest flood that may reasonably be expected based on actual storm and flood records and observations.

Security of cooling water source.

The cooling water source for all types of thermal plants should be made dependable for all conditions in which the plant is expected to continue operation. For a nuclear plant (see Ch. III), a dependable source of cooling water continues to be needed (although of a lesser amount) while the plant is not in operation to remove decay heat from the reactor. In addition, a source of cooling water for emergency reactor shutdown must be assured.

Thermal quality of water source.

Data on stream flows, temperatures, stratification and depths must be obtained and evaluated with an economical condenser size and pumping facilities to ensure that the temperature of the body of water receiving the cooling water discharge will not exceed the thermal criteria adopted by the governing regulatory authority (State and/or Federal) described in Chapter V.

Fuel supply

An essential item to be considered in selecting a site for a generating plant is the availability of an adequate supply of competitively priced fuel for the life of the plant. The location of a nuclear plant presents no problems in this respect because of the minimal transportation cost of nuclear fuel. Oil- and gas-fired plants are usually located where ample supplies are available on a competitive basis for the life of the plant. A new plant relying on gas will need long-term contracts to assure competitive fuel costs.

Coal-fired plants are usually located so that more than one field can be considered as a source of fuel for the plant site. The successful operation of unit trains on fast schedules and in some cases movements of coal by barge to power plants over long distances enables coal deposits at some distance from the site to be considered as alternate sources for the plant. The present and projected future availability of coal and its cost delivered to the plant will, of course, be a major factor in the final measure of the attractiveness of a site.

The location of a power plant at a mine mouth site or at a location where the transportation facilities are capable of delivering coal from only one coal field can jeopardize the future price for coal delivered to the plant. Under such conditions, long-term contracts for the coal supply which are entered into while alternate sites are still being considered, may be the only means of obtaining a coal supply at a reasonable cost.

Effect of plant and transmission line appearance on surrounding areas

In site selection it is essential that proper consideration be given to the impact of the plant on the appearance of the surrounding area as well as the impact of the transmission lines that must radiate from the plant.

Technology of underground transmission has not yet been developed to the point where it is practical for transmitting large blocks of power over long distances. Research in underground transmission is underway but no technological breakthrough is in sight.

Much work has been done in the field of improving the appearance of overhead transmission lines and the results are encouraging. Examples include the tower design produced by Henry Dreyfuss & Associates for the Edison Electric Institute. These designs, as well as other attractive ones, are judged to be more applicable to distribution and subtransmission voltages. Economic considerations and the large size of EHV towers needed for mechanical strength and electricity clearances handicap the designer in his attempts to incorporate pleasing appearance.

Amenities for employees

Power plant personnel have increased desires for comforts and conveniences with each passing decade. Increases in our standard of living have made it possible for employees to have better housing with many comforts and conveniences. Also, the employees desire modern educational facilities for their children and recreation facilities for families and employee groups. Shopping centers to provide for the family's needs are expected to be available in the community where the family resides. When selecting a plant site, the facilities available for employees within commuting distance of the site should be considered. The rural development opportunities are discussed in detail in Chapter VII.

Taxes

While taxes may not directly affect the "physical requirements" of a site, the taxing policies of the State and local governments have considerable influence on the economics of building a generating plant in one location as compared to another. Also, the taxing policies may exert different levels of influence for a private plant developer as opposed to a plant being developed by a public body or organization.