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The Proposed Poseidon Seawater Desalination
FacilityA Practical Assessment of Need, Feasibility,
Environmental Impacts, and Policy ImplicationsPRESENTED BY:
Poseidon’s Desalination Plant is Not Needed
Poseidon: What They Do
“We secure premier desalination plant locations co-located with power plants….with the capability to intake or discharge seawater….”
“Technology neutral approach enables tailored cost-optimized projects.”
“Possess intellectual property for desalination co-location with power plants.”
Source: www.poseidonwater.com
CA Statewide Policy Advances--
Poseidon’s Desal Design Doesn’t
2005SWRCB policy discussion begins to phase out open ocean intakes begins.
2007Poseidon Carlsbad CDP approved with open ocean intake.
2010• SWRCB orders
phase out of open ocean intake at 19 coastal power plants including Carlsbad and AES.
• MPAs for Southern CA are approved by Fish & Game Commission. 2011
SWRCB convened Expert Panels in preparation for Statewide Desalination Policy.
2012AES applies to decommission open ocean intake by 2020 or earlier.
2013• SWRCB Expert
Panels on Desalination publish recommendations.
• SWRCB to release Draft Policy before 2014.
2014SWRCB intends to adopt the Ocean Plan Amendment that establishes statewide standards for desalination facilities.
Policy Advancements Since Approval of Carlsbad Plant in 2007
Co-Location vs. Best Available
TechnologyPoseidon
Co-locates with power plants to reduce construction costs
Open ocean intake maximizes marine life mortality with potential adverse impacts to MPAs
Open discharge results in large brine plume
Designed for profit
Best Available Technology
Located where needed and site conditions are optimal
Subsurface intake minimizes marine life mortality and limits potential adverse impacts to MPAs
Spray brine diffuser reduced brine plume up to 90%
Designed to meet need
Subsurface is FeasiblePoseidon's Distorted
Depictionof Subsurface Intakes
Multiple intake pipelines to shore
Surface pump stationsAdverse impacts to
public access and vista
Operational Subsurface Seabed Infiltration Gallery in Fukuoka,
Japan
Singular intake from multiple galleries
No surface facilitiesNo adverse impacts to
public access and vista
Poseidon Must Prove that Subsurface is
InfeasiblePoseidon cites several Water Globe reports and
memos to claim that subsurface intakes are infeasible.
Report was prepared by Nikolay Voutchkov, a former Senior Vice President for Technical Services for Poseidon Resources.
Voutchkov is the inventor of the patent for co-location that was assigned to Poseidon Resources in 2005.
The CCC cannot rely on the Voutchkov ‘report’ to determine infeasibility.
Poseidon Never Proved Subsurface is
Infeasible Others performed onsite feasibility studies first, then
designed their project.
Poseidon designed its project first and never performed site specific studies offshore.
A report submitted 6 weeks ago by a former Poseidon employee only indicates wells cannot be built. Staff has never suggested wells.
Poseidon and SDCWA Accounted for Subsurface Intakes in their “Financial
Planning” for Carlsbad The Water Purchase Agreement acknowledges that a new
intake system could be required in 2017 at Carlsbad given a ‘change in law’ as a result of the “closure and decommissioning” of the open ocean intake as required by the OTC policy.
Poseidon and the SDCWA told the New York Times in 2013 that they had accounted for the “eventuality” of subsurface intakes in their “financial planning.”
Carlsbad was successfully financed with $734M in Tax Exempt Private Activity Bonds and $189M in private equity based on the WPA as collateral.
Proposed Open Ocean Intake
Obsolete technology built in 1958 for a Power Plant
Documented marine impacts
100 mile Source Water Population (SWP)
Tons of chemical additives a day
4 million+ gallons of wastewater discharge per day
Brine Discharge Hypersaline brine contains
residual chemicals, degrades water quality and displaces marine life
Proposed vertical open discharge designed for hot water not brine
Spray Brine diffuser would reduce Zone of Initial Dilution (ZID) by 90%
Biological Extent of Impacts
Total larvae for which impacts are assessed and source water areas are calculated.
Total larvae sampled
Total larvae entrained
Total organisms entrained
From Raimondi, Variation in Entrainment Impact Estimations Based on Different Measures of Acceptable Uncertainty, 2011.
There are Nine Coastal MPAs within 25 miles of the
Huntington Beach Generating Station
HBGSPoint
Vicente SMCA
Abalone Cove No Take SMCA
Bolsa Chica Basin and Bolsa Bay SMCAs
Upper Newport Bay SMCA
Crystal Cove SMCA
Laguna SMR and No Take SMCA
Dana Point SMCA
Image credit: NRDC
California’s Marine Protected Areas Have Been Designed to
Function as a NetworkMPA
Marine Protected Areas
The Coastal Act Contains Implicit Protections for
MPAs
Photo by Dana Murray
Photo by Dana Murray Photo by Marc Shargel
Poseidon’s Temporary Permits are not
EntitlementsTemporary Co-Location
PermitsNPDES Permit
State Lands Commission Lease
California State Parks Easement
Department of Public Health
Pipelines Routes within Costa Mesa
Permit for Standalone Operation
2020
2020
Not Final
EIR May Be Required
Temporary NPDES Permit
Under temporary stand-alone operations, the Discharger has little control over
the intake structure. Under these conditions, the existing intake meets the
best available design criteria. Pursuant to Water Code Section 13142.5(b),
the direct connection of the desalination plant to the HBGS's cooling water
system pipelines represents the best available design feasible to minimize
intake and mortality to marine life from the Facility's temporary stand-alone
operations. Because different and/or better designs may be feasible in the
future under long-term stand-alone operations, the Regional Water Board will
reevaluate the Facility's compliance with Water Code section 13142.5(b), best
design available requirement, under those conditions.
Poseidon Intentionally
Provided False Information in Carlsbad GHG Plan
2008 GHG Hearing: Poseidon assured the Commission that “water from the desalination plant will provide direct, one-for-one replacement of imported water”—Nov. 9, 2007 Poseidon letter
Poseidon SWP0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,0002010 Revocation Hearing: • “Water eligible for MWD’s subsidy
exclud[es] any Desalinated Seawater that…will not augment water supply.”—2005 MWD agreement
• “We expect MWD to take its full SWP and Colorado River rights and entitlements for the foreseeable future”—Jan. 20, 2010 MWD/SDCWA letter
AC
Poseidon Has Provided The Same False
Information AgainHB GHG Plan:
“Poseidon will be credited with emission reductions associated with the replacement of imported water from the SWP.”
Staff Report:
“Poseidon’s project will not ensure a decrease in imported water supplies to Southern California…this [automatic] ‘crediting’ approach to achieving carbon neutrality is not warranted.”
Which Project Design Offers More Jobs?
Poseidon Plant as Proposed
Continued Use of Open Ocean Intake Pipe Constructed in 1958
CCC Staff Recommendation
Additional Construction of: Water Infiltration gallery Subsurface Pump Station Connecting pipes Service road
Which Desalination “Train” Will Leave the
Huntington Beach Station?
1950’s Technology 21st Century Technology