WSP06539

• File Number: 8220.100.50
• Description: CRSP - Power Issues
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1983
• Author: West. Sys. Coord. Co
• Title: Western Systems Coordinating Council Ten-Year Coordinated Plan Summary 1983- 1992
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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43

Oil-burn requirements for the total WSCC area were 16,362
thousand barrels in 1982 which represents 35.9 percent of the 1981
Dil-burn requirement Df 45,595 thousand barrels, 24.3 percent of the
1980 Dil-burn requirement of 67,444 thousand barrels and 13.7 percent of
the 1979 oil-burn requirement of 119,OBB thousand barrels. Factors
contributing to the reductiDn in oil-burn include: the significantly
increased availability of natural gas for electric generation, increased
availability of non-oil- fired generation in the Northwest and the
Arizona- New Mexico areas for export to California and a decrease in total
energy requirements for the California-SDuthern Nevada area.

The Member Systems' ability to serve the region's requirements
in the manner presented in this section depends on an assured supply of
primary fuel and the timely installation of the planned units. The
availability Df primary fuel depends on many variables over which
utilities have no control, such as oil embargoes, 9Dvernment regulatiDns,
and labor strikes which can cripple the primary fuel industry's ability to
meet contractual Dbligations. In additiDn, efforts to increase coal-fired
and nuclear generation have been hampered by environmental challenges and
soaring costs associated with constructing these facilities. There has
also been significant oppDsition to the mining and burning of coal to
generate electric pDwer for use in states other than where the generation
facilities will be lDcated. The present concern regarding the safety of
nuclear generating facilities and the inability to finance, construct and
receive Dperating licenses fDr nuclear pDwer plants are factors limiting
the development Df these facilities. The long term effects of these
problems may seriously inhibit the operation of existing and the
installation of planned nuclear facilities.

In summary, the information presented represents the plans
developed by the Member Systems to meet the anticipated power requirements
in the most economical manner based Dn their current plans through 1992.