According to an article published by Reuters, New York environmental regulators have released a plan to protect aquatic life in the state’s rivers that could cost power generators billions to upgrade their facilities.
The plan, which still needs final approval, would affect most of the state’s six nuclear power plants and several facilities powered by fossil fuels that use water for cooling. The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wants the facilities to recycle and reuse the water in a closed-cycle cooling system rather than discharging the heated water into rivers.
In February, Entergy filed a report with the DEC that found it would be better to add new underwater screens to the plant’s existing cooling water intake system rather than install expensive cooling towers.
Electricity traders noted contentious applications with hearings can drag on for years.
The DEC plan would also affect other power plants in the state, including U.S. Power Generating’s 1,290-megawatt Astoria, Mirant Corp’s 1,139-MW Bowline, National Grid’s 1,522-MW Northport, Oswego Harbor’s 1,700 MW Oswego, TransCanada’s 2,410-MW Ravenswood and Dynegy Inc’s 1,200-MW Roseton.
Whatever happens with the six nuclear power facilities in New York, electrical contractors understand that environmental remediation measures will be a part of future work for decades to come.