WSP03638 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

~ co w co , test Injection well is being con- structed to determine characteris- tics of the disposal formation. Based on these charactertstics, the required number and location of disposal wells will be deter- mined, well design will be com- pleted. and required surface facilities will be determined. Alter analyzing the total required facilities and projected operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, a final decision on whether or not to use deep well brine dis- posal will be made. The injection well Is being drilled and tested in 1987 and 1988. When positive test results are obtained, the original Definite Plan Report will be amended, and the National Environmental Policy Act requirements will be fullllled. Construction of per- manent facilities wllllhen follow the approval of the amended plan. Construction should be completed by 1989. Price-San Rafael Rivers (USSR and USDA) The Price and San Rafael Rivers, In east-central Utah, are t 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. These rivers drain Into the Colorado River via the Green River. Reclamation and SCS are look- ing at new combined alternatives that would Include placement of laterals in pipe and a combina- tion of the laterals with the gravity sprinkler irrigation sys- tems. SCS and Reclamation are evaluating potential for a joint and fully coordinated salinity project which may result in an SCS-BR report for two subareas. Saline Water Use and Disposal Opportunities Unit (USSR) Powerplant Cooling. - Testing of Ion exchange treatment and other equipment for saline water cooling has been completed at the Etiwanda Power Plant near Ontario, California. The selected hardware was successfully evaluated under actual field con. ditions to verify technical perfor- mance and operation. A parallel study of the economic Impacts of the test loop and selected hardware will be completed in early 1987. The economic study is tailored after previous studies completed at Hunter and Jim Bridger powerplants. An earlier contract study of saline water use for Jim Bridger Power Plant found that by using side-stream softeners and disposal ponds, about 8,000 acre-feet per year of Big Sandy River water could be used. T otallnplant costs were about $70 per ton. However, when the costs of well construc- tion features and pipeline costs were included, the total in- creased to about $152 per ton. These costs are not competitive with other salinity control units at the present time. Under an existing Basic Agree- ment with consultant Jack laugh- lin, a final study contract ex- amined the technical and economic feasibility of using Lower Virgin River water at the proposed 1000 MW HaIry Allen Plant near Las Vegas, Nevada. The study established that the in- plant costs of using brackish water from the Lower Virgin River compared favorably to the use of alternative supplies. Oppor- tunties for cost sharing further ,. studies and construction of a water supply system for the proposed (1996) powerplant will be pursued with Nevada Power Company. Test results from the Etiwanda study were incor- porated into the process con- cepts proposed for the Harry Allen plant. Solar Ponds. . A solar pond power system, the fir~t of its kind In the United States. IS now operating at a test site near EI Paso. Texas. The system will ultimately produce both fresh water and. . electricity from salty water. Il1Itlal feasibility studies had indicated such ponds might be a cost-effec- tive means of producing power and desalting water. and a small. scale test was needed to evaluate the technology. The first phase of the system has been completed and power generation began in September 1986. The second phase. the water desalting system, will be operational in 1987. The syslem employs an .8-acre lined pond to generate up to 100 kilowatts (enough electricity to supply ten homes). The project is a cooperative ef- fort among the University of Texas - EI Paso, EI Paso Electric Company, Bruce Foods Corpora- tion, and the Bureau of Reclama- tion. The tesl facility is located at Bruce Foods' planl northeasl of EI Paso. The system can convert saline water into two valuable com- modities In the West- fresh water and power. This cogeneration capability makes the solar pond. technology a potentially economi- cal alternative for desalting in comparison with other methods currently available. In the pond, the sun's heat warms saline water at the boltom of the pond, while layers of