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Site Visit Report

Nearman Creek Power Station

4240 North 55th Street

Kansas City, KS 66104

March 3, 2009

1.0 Background and Objectives

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of developing 

316(b) cooling water intake structure requirements that reflect the best technology

available (BTA) for minimizing adverse environmental impact for all existing 

power plants and manufacturing facilities. As part of this process, EPA staff is

visiting electric generators and manufacturers to better understand the cooling 

water intake structure (CWIS) technologies in use at typical facilities, including 

the site-specific characteristics of each facility and how these affect the selection 

and performance of CWIS technologies. EPA is also visiting facilities to better 

understand cooling water use and specific issues or technologies that can affect 

316(b) compliance. Nearman Creek (Nearman) was selected for a site visit due to 

its location on a large freshwater river.

2.0 Facility Description

The Nearman Creek Power Station is owned and operated by the Kansas City

Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and is located in Wyandotte County in Kansas 

City, Kansas along the Missouri River. The facility is located on 800 acres. 

Nearman employs approximately 60 people and began operation in 1981.

Cooling and process water withdrawals from and wastewater discharges to the 

Missouri River are regulated under NPDES permit number KS0119075 which 

expired on December 31, 2008. Nearman submitted its NPDES permit 

application in a timely manner and is awaiting renewal of its permit by the state.

3.0 Electricity Generation and Transmission

Nearman has one coal-fired, steam-electric generating unit with a generating 

capacity of 235 MW. It is a baseload unit with an overall capacity utilization rate 

(CUR) of 50%. The fuel source is low-sulfur coal from the Powder River Basin 

in Wyoming. 

The facility has two routine maintenance outages that occur during the spring and 

fall. Typically, the spring outage lasts for two weeks and the fall outage lasts one 

week.
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4.0 Cooling Water System and Intake Structure

Nearman has one cooling water intake structure (CWIS) that provides oncethrough cooling water for the generating unit for a portion of the year. (As 

discussed in Section 6.0 below, Nearman operates a closed-cycle cooling system 

the remainder of the year.) The CWIS is fitted with a trash rack and four standard 

(i.e., coarse mesh 3/8”) traveling screens. In addition, two circulating water 

pumps (one per two screens), with a design intake flow (DIF) of 230 million 

gallons per day (MGD), provide an average actual intake flow (AIF) of 153 MGD 

of cooling water to the generating unit. The through screen velocity is 2.6 feet per 

second (fps). The screens rotate when the pressure differential across the screen 

reaches a specified amount allowing for cleaning with a high pressure spray that 

flows into a debris trough which discharges to the Missouri River.

Facility representatives indicated they have no issues with the CWIS or screen 

operation. In addition, as necessary, Nearman introduces warm water prior to the 

CWIS which effectively prevents icing.1 Nearman does not have regularly 

scheduled overhaul or maintenance periods for the CWIS. Rather, it performs 

CWIS maintenance and rebuild on an as-needed basis.

According to facility representatives, river degradation2is the biggest issue facing 

Nearman. The water level of the Missouri River is also controlled by the Army

Corps of Engineers. During low depth river conditions (winter), Nearman lacks 

adequate cooling water supply for its generating unit. In an effort to boost water 

intake during low flow conditions, Nearman installs temporary, supplemental 

pumps for its cooling water withdrawals.

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 Nearman noted little problem with 

supplemental pump operation, but indicated the Corps requires removal prior to 

the summer. Despite higher water levels in summer, the facility still curtails its 

generation, as water levels are substantially lower than when the facility was 

constructed.4

Because river degradation continues to occur, even after incorporation of 

supplemental pumps, Nearman continued to be concerned that the river level 

might not be able to adequately support its cooling water needs. As a result, 

Nearman installed closed-cycle cooling. See Section 6.0.

 

1 Nearman also provides a warm water line to the intake at the drinking water facility upstream.

2 The bottom of the river has eroded to a much lower depth.

3 These emergency pumps are installed at the river bottom (below the level of the bottom of the CWIS) and 

pump water into the existing screenwell.

4 Higher ambient water temperatures also contribute to the derating.
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5.0 Impingement and Entrainment Information

Nearman collected impingement samples in 2005. During the sampling period, 

Nearman conducted 24 hour impingement sampling every other week for a year 

for a total of 24 sampling events.

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In total, Nearman impinged 322 fish accounting for 18 species during the 

sampling events. Freshwater drum accounted for 40% of the impinged fish. 

Based on these sampling results and similar data collected at Quindaro, Nearman

estimates its annual impingement mortality to be 6,700 fish. This figure includes 

an adjustment to account for gizzard shad mortality not associated with 

impingement. Nearman based this adjustment on EPA Regional guidance.6

Nearman has not conducted any entrainment or ambient sampling, but indicated 

that various other organizations have conducted ambient sampling of the Missouri 

River.

6.0 Cooling Tower Feasibility

To ensure facility operations would not be impacted by the quantity and 

temperature of river water available for cooling, Nearman began operating a 

fiberglass mechanical draft cooling tower consisting of eight cells with standard 

Marley fill in a back-to-back configuration (four cells each side) in June 2006. 

The tower is fitted with drift eliminators, but not plume or noise abatement 

controls.

The closed-cycle recirculating system (CCRS) retrofit cost Nearman $22 million. 

Facility representatives indicated there were no technical challenges associated 

with the retrofit, but that the costs included reinforcing the existing condenser to 

support the higher pressure associated with CCRS operation.7

Nearman operates the CCRS for only part of the year (spring to the fall), when 

cooling water requirements and river temperatures are the highest. While 

operating, city water is the source of all make-up cooling water (i.e., no water is 

withdrawn from the Missouri River for generator cooling water purposes). The 

CCRS system requires 3600 gallons per minute (GPM) of make-up water during 

full load on a hot summer day. Nearman evaluated other sources of make-up 

water, but elected to use city water because it would have had to treat river or well 

water for iron and manganese. 

 

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Facility representatives indicated that cooling water withdrawals during all sampling events were at least 

half of its AIF.

6 Based on a Missouri River study, young of the year gizzard shad become cold stressed and die when the 

river temperature reaches a specified amount (typically November to March). 

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Facility representatives noted that there was some damage to the condenser tubes that led to a forced 

outage.
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Nearman switches over to CCRS during its spring outage and switches off of the 

CCRS during its fall outage. The transition is relatively easy and typically 

requires 8-10 hours to fill the basin. Nearman operates the cooling tower at five 

cycles of concentration and adds 12.5% sodium hypochlorite as a biocide. 

Facility representatives noted that its CCRS is easy to operate and actually leads 

to slightly better performance by the generating units, as the return water from the 

tower is cooler than river water. 

Facility representatives stated that they did not consider a helper tower 

configuration for the facility, as thermal discharges are not a problem.

7.0 Debris Handling

Nearman does not have significant problems with debris loading. 

8.0 Repowering/Future Uses

Nearman has no current plans for re-powering or upgrades, but is considering the 

installation of low NOx burners next year.

9.0 Cooling Ponds

There are no cooling ponds on site.

10.0 Ownership

Nearman is owned by the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. It is a public 

entity owned by Kansas City. As such, the city government controls its rates and 

expenditures with the goal being that revenues raised equal to production costs 

(i.e., no profit). All capital funds are funded through bonds which must be 

approved by an elected board of officials. 

11.0 316(a)

316(a) is not an issue for Nearman. 

12.0 Ash Handling

Nearman sells all of its fly ash for re-use. Nearman’s bottom ash is sluiced to an

unlined pond. Nearman also has an on-site landfill that dates back to its 

inception. It is clay-lined and does not have a leachate collection system. While 

the landfill is no longer used for this purpose, Nearman used to store bottom ash 

in it on occasion. Periodically, Nearman removes ash from the landfill which is 

subsequently sent off site and used in mine reclamation activities. The ash pond 

is inspected annually by the state.
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13.0 Air Emissions Controls

Nearman operates an electronic precipitator with a removal efficiency of 99.6%. 

Additionally, Nearman is considering the installation of low NOx burners next 

year.

14.0 Additional Information

A consultant for Nearman provided data for estimated compliance costs for a 

number of Midwestern facilities that would be subject to Phase II requirements. 

Estimates were provided for technologies deemed feasible and cost-effective by

the consultant. The data also includes estimates of benefits derived from the 

reduction in impingement.

Attachments

Attachment A List of Attendees

Attachment B Aerial Photos

Attachment C Nearman Creek Power Station pamphlet

Attachment D Aerial Photo of Nearman Creek During 1993 Flood

Attachment E Estimated 316(b) Compliance Costs

Attachment F Site Visit Photos
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Attachment A--List of Attendees

Paul Shriner, EPA Headquarters

Jan Matuszko, EPA Headquarters

Jamie Hurley, EPA Headquarters

John Dunn, EPA Region VII

Kelly Meadows, Tetra Tech

Patrick Cassidy, Kansas City Board of Public Utilities

Kira Bluebaum, Burns and McDonnell

Gregory Howick, Burns and McDonnell
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Attachment B--Aerial Photos

Please see DCN 10-6524A accompanying this document

Attachment C—Nearman Creek Power Station pamphlet

Please see DCN 10-6524B accompanying this document

Attachment D--Aerial Photo of Nearman Creek During 1993 Flood

Please see DCN 10-6524C accompanying this document

Attachment E--Estimated 316(b) Compliance Costs

Please see DCN 10-6524D accompanying this document

Attachment F--Site Visit Photos

Please see DCNs 10-6524E through J accompanying this document