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<br />w <br />-...} <br />o <br />..... <br /> <br />After identification and quantification of saline sources, efforts were <br />directed to highlighting opportunities of using saline water in power- <br />plant cooling and industrial processing as well as coal slurry pipelines. <br />The WSCC (Western System Coordinating Council) estimates that about <br />15,500 megawatts of new coal-fired generating capacity will be installed in <br />or near the Colorado River Basin in the 1981~1990 period. These projec- <br />tions reflect the influence of recent energy conservation measures. An <br />additional 17,000 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity is antici- <br />pated in the Basin by the 1990's. <br /> <br />About 42 potential powerplant and synfuel facility sites located in the <br />Basin were screened for saline water use. Those 42 sites are active <br />as well as dormant in terms of near term potential development. Water <br />supplies for most have already been identified and some have been obtained. <br />Saline water use generally has not been considered because of the addi- <br />tional cost. However, if technical and financial barriers can be overcome, <br />saline water use on a large scale could be achieved. The needs for cooling <br />water in the 1980's for 15,500 megawatts of installed capacity would be <br />about 185,000 acre-feet per year. A similar volume could be used in the <br />1990's. In view of the 610,000 acre-feet per year saline water supply <br />available, a sizable portion of the projected future water requirement for <br />energy development in and near the Basin could be met using saline water. <br /> <br />The study summarizes projected powerplant additions for the Western States <br />and the Colorado River Basin to further delineate the need for cooling <br />water. A significant shift in the electrical plant generation mix was seen <br />over the next 25 years to coal-fired facilities. For purposes of this <br />study, a coal market scenario was developed which projects the need for <br />about 50 to 100 million tons of coal to be transported to possible future <br />market centers near the West Coast. This is based on a conservative view <br />of the combination of possible coal uses illustrated in the following <br />table: <br /> <br />Tab 1 e 2. - Est imated coal requirements <br /> Total tonnage Total tonnage <br />Coal use Area 1981-1990 1990- 2000 <br /> (106 tons/yr) (106 tons/yr) <br />Coal-fired Southern California 10 20 <br />powerp 1 ants <br />Coal gasification Southern California 1 10 <br />Coal export Southern California 5 50 <br />Subtotal 16 80 <br />Coal-fired Colorado River Basin 34 60 <br />powerplants States (approx.) <br />Total 50 140 <br /> <br />4 <br />