Oddly, SC gets a higher percentage of its power from nuclear than any other state but Illinois.
California blackouts
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Oddly, SC gets a higher percentage of its power from nuclear than any other state but Illinois.
Why because I blasted you for telling me to STFU! I meant what I said!
No worries. Been years since I was there. Who was the VP? I may know them.
Choi; she was your DC Rep. Met her when I gave a briefing there back in 2010.
This is true.
As background, I worked at SCANA from 2005-2013 and supported the Fossil-Hydro Generation group in communications. I'll throw in my two cents on this, so it may be long. Feel free to ignore.
I was part of the relicensing for the Saluda Hydro Plant, also known as the Lake Murray Dam. Hydro plant relicensing is probably as complicated as nuclear plant relicensing nowadays. The amount of studies, public input and research that goes into it are mind-numbing. SCANA begin the relicensing project in the early 2000 with the license expiring in 2010. To my knowledge, it still hasn't gotten official approval from FERC although they are operating the plant as if they are I believe.
As part of that process, there were teams that did studies of all kinds - recreation, flows, dissolved oxygen, aquatic life, archaeological etc. Anyone ever see a short-nosed sturgeon in the Saluda or Congaree? Probably not, but they had to do a study on it because they used to be there hundreds of years ago. Have you seen the rarely-used fish ladder at the headgates of the canal or the spider lilies in the Broad? Both because of relicensing (that was for the Columbia Hydro, but I digress).
You are correct about minimum flows - the dam has to always release water at a certain level to protect aquatic life downstream. And they spent millions of dollars on baffles for the turbines to increase dissolved oxygen downstream, again to improve the health of the river for fish.
And of course lake levels were a big part of the conversation because you have to make all the lake homeowners happy. The plant was built for baseload generation back int he twenties and served as that well into the sixties I believe. There used to be wide swings back then, but now that it is reserve generation, they maintain a level between 354-358' depending on the season. Part of the license includes a draw-down every 5 years or so to kill algae and vegetation and also to do maintenance.
Sorry. starting to ramble here, but the point being that you won't be seeing many more hydro plants being built in the US for two reason: 1) extraordinarily hard to license; and 2) most of the rivers that could be dammed for power already have been.
A couple of quick tidbits that may be of interest to folks around the MIdlands
- When you hear newscasters talk about lake levels and that 360' is the max pool, that is actually the FERC limit, not what the utility targets. The goal is not to go over 358' to provide margin. And 360' is not the depth of the lake but the feet above sea level at that point. The depth at the dam is around 180'
- The only time the spillway has been used for its intended purpose was during the 2015 flood. However, the flood gates would have to be tested yearly per FERC. These were not widely publicized because they didn't want gawkers. I remember one year I went out to take pictures during a test and right before they opened the gates, someone spotted something in red in pretty far down next to the spillway. Turns out it was a kayaker who was going to ride the flow down. Said his dad did it years ago. Local law enforcement made him move.
- Prior to building the backup dam, studies were done and presentations given on what would happen if the original dam gave way. It is an urban myth that water would reach the statehouse. However, the studies did show that water could reach as high as 50' above the Gervais Street bridge, putting water levels up to the Blue Marlin Restaurant.
- There is a tunnel in the middle of the backup dam. I took Woody Windham on a tour of it. Water always find a way through a dam no matter how it is built, and there was a trough in the tunnel to catch that flow.
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I need to edit that. I meant the licensing process, not operationally. Still may be a stretch, but having been through both, neither is a joyride lol.Hydro plants are probably more complicated nowadays than nuclear plants.
I work for Santee Cooper. Our FERC license was due for renewal in 2010 as well and we still haven't received it.
Same thing with TV permits for plant sites, DHEC hasn't renewed them. They were up for renewal in 2010 as well.
Same thing with TV permits for plant sites, DHEC hasn't renewed them. They were up for renewal in 2010 as well.
Oh yeah, the State Water Board is one of my many agencies to cover. They kept playing a game with us regarding the six renewals; it didn't pan out well for them when they tried to throw us under the bus.
FERC granted the petition, finding that the Water Board waived its Section 401 authority through the repeated withdrawal and refiling of SCE’s application for water quality certification. Consistent with its decision in Placer County Water Agency, FERC held that a formal agreement between a licensee and a state is not necessary to support a finding of waiver. In response to arguments from the Water Board that SCE voluntarily withdrew its application each year to avoid a denial without prejudice, FERC found that the Water Board expected and requested SCE’s withdrawal and resubmission each year to circumvent the one-year deadline under the CWA.
https://www.vnf.com/hydro-newsletter-volume-7-issue-3