Impact on the steam electric power industry of deleting Section 316(a) of the Clean Water Act: Energy and environmental impacts
Many power plants discharge large volumes of cooling water. In some cases, the temperature of the discharge exceeds state thermal requirements. Section 316(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) allows a thermal discharger to demonstrate that less stringent thermal effluent limitations would still protect aquatic life. About 32% of the total steam electric generating capacity in the United States operates under Section 316(a) variances. In 1991, the US Senate proposed legislation that would delete Section 316(a) from the CWA. This study, presented in two companion reports, examines how this legislation would affect the steam electric power industry. This report quantitatively and qualitatively evaluates the energy and environmental impacts of deleting the variance. No evidence exists that Section 316(a) variances have caused any widespread environmental problems. Conversion from once-through cooling to cooling towers would result in a loss of plant output of 14.7-23.7 billion kilowatt-hours. The cost to make up the lost energy is estimated at $12.8-$23.7 billion (in 1992 dollars). Conversion to cooling towers would increase emission of pollutants to the atmosphere and water loss through evaporation. The second report describes alternatives available to plants that currently operate under the variance and estimates the national cost of implementing such alternatives. Little justification has been found for removing the 316(a) variance from the CWA.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental Assessment and Information Sciences Div.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 10141527
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/EAIS-5; ON: DE93011232; TRN: 93:015186
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jan 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
US CLEAN WATER ACT
MODIFICATIONS
THERMAL EFFLUENTS
EMISSION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ELECTRICITY
COST
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
RETROFITTING
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
COMPLIANCE
COOLING TOWERS
ECONOMICS
200500
200101
200700
220503
220200
296000
290300
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
COOLING AND HEAT TRANSFER EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS
CHEMICAL AND THERMAL EFFLUENTS
COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES
ELECTRIC POWER
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND SAFETY