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Ocean Standards - CWA §316(b) Regulation
COOLING WATER INTAKE STRUCTURES
once-through cooling
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) implements the Federal Clean Water Act §316(b) regulations on cooling water intake structures. Control and/or mitigation of entrainment and impingement of marine life related to power generating facility intake structures is paramount.
Quick Links
- News!
- Public Meetings
- Policy Adoption and Amendments
- Other Relevant Documents
- Committees
- Power Plants That Are Affected
- General energy company correspondence
- Questions or Comments
- Once Through Cooling Fact Sheet
News!
Public Meetings
- June 18, 2013 – The State Water Resources Control Board will hold a public hearing to receive public comment on a proposed amendment to the Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling. The State Water Board will consider adoption of the proposed amendments following the hearing that will be held at:
Joe Serna Jr. Cal/EPA Headquarters Building
Coastal Hearing Room
1001 I Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
- Notice of Adoption Hearing and Notice of Opportunity to Comment – Comment Deadline is June 4, 2013 by 12 noon.
The Once-Through Cooling Water Policy
On May 4, 2010 the State Water Board adopted a Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling (Policy). The administrative record for the Policy was approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on September 27, 2010. The Policy became effective on October 1, 2010 when the California Environmental Quality Act Notice of Decision was submitted to the Secretary of Resources.
The Policy establishes technology-based standards to implement federal Clean Water Act section 316(b) and reduce the harmful effects associated with cooling water intake structures on marine and estuarine life. The Policy applies to the 19 existing power plants (including two nuclear plants) that currently have the ability to withdraw over 15 billion gallons per day from the State’s coastal and estuarine waters using a single-pass system, also known as once-through cooling (OTC). Closed-cycle wet cooling has been selected as Best Technology Available (BTA). Permittees must either reduce intake flow and velocity (Track 1) or reduce impacts to aquatic life comparably by other means (Track 2).
The Policy is implemented through an adaptive management strategy by which the standards can be achieved without disrupting the critical needs of the State’s electrical generation and transmission system. A Statewide Advisory Committee on Cooling Water Intake Structures (SACCWIS) has been established to review implementation plans and schedules and provide recommendations to the State Water Board at least annually. The State Water Board will consider SACCWIS’s recommendations and make modifications to the Policy, as appropriate. The permittees’ NPDES permits will be reissued or modified to conform with the Policy.
Other Relevant Documents
- Electric Grid Reliability Impacts from Once-Through Cooling in California
- California's Coastal Power Plants: Alternative Cooling System Analysis
- Assessment of Once-Through Cooling System Impacts to California Coastal Fish and Fisheries
- Issues Analysis of Retrofitting Once-Through Cooled Plants with Closed Cycle Cooling
- 1975 Policy on the Use of Inland Waters for Powerplant Cooling - Includes Resolution 75-58
- Federal Water Pollution Control Act: Title 33, Chapter 26, Sec. 316 (b)
Committees
The two committees listed below, were convened by the Executive Directory of the State Water board, as required by the Policy. The committees are subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
Statewide Advisory Committee on Cooling Water Intake Structures (SACCWIS)
SACCWIS was established to advise the State Water
Board on the implementation of this Policy to ensure that implementation plans and schedules established by the Policy are realistic and will not cause
disruption to the State’s electrical power supply. SACCWIS includes representatives from the California Energy Commission, California Public
Utilities Commission, California Coastal Commission, California State Lands Commission, California Air Resources Board, California Independent System
Operator, and the State Water Board.
Review Committee for Nuclear Fueled Power Plants
The Review Committee was established to oversee the special studies,
which will investigate ability, alternatives, and cost for two nuclear-fueled power plants to meet the Policy requirements. The special studies
will be conducted by an independent third party with engineering experience with nuclear power plants, selected by the Executive Director of the State
Water Board, and paid for by the two nuclear-fueled power plants subject to the Policy. The Review Committee includes representatives from the
SACCWIS agencies, the nuclear power companies, the environmental community, and staffs of the State Water Board and appropriate Regional Water Boards.
Permitting of Affected Power Plants
The policy is implemented through NPDES permits. The State Water Board will reissue or, as appropriate, modify NPDES permits issued to owners or operators of existing power plants, after a hearing in the affected region, to ensure that the permits conform to the provisions of the Policy. The State Water Board will reopen, if necessary, the relevant permits and modify the final compliance schedules, if appropriate, based on modifications to the policy approved by the State Water Board or the suspension of final compliance dates. »» Get more information …
Questions or Comments
- Permitting Issues - Renan Jauregui at (916) 341-5505 or by email at RJauregui@waterboards.ca.gov
- Policy Issues - Shuka Rastegarpour at (916) 341-5576 or by email at SRastegarpour@waterboards.ca.gov
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