MEMORANDUM

Tetra Tech, Inc.

10306 Eaton Place, Suite 340

Fairfax, VA 22030

phone 703-385-6000

fax 703-385-6007

TO: Record

FROM: Christine Wong, Tetra Tech, Inc.

DATE: August 28, 2008

SUBJECT: Notes from Beaudrey USA teleconferences

To complement existing information on cooling water intake structures and intake 

technologies, EPA directed Tetra Tech (Tt) to research and make contact with intake 

technology manufacturers, specifically international intake technology manufacturers.

Tt began by searching the docket records and Internet for intake technology

manufacturers. A 2007 Power-Technology.com web article stated that over 90% of 

French nuclear plants use Beaudrey screens and the Beaudrey Web site stated that:

Screens equipped with Beaudrey FPSTM will meet and/or exceed the 316b fish 

impingement criteria of 80 to 95% mortality reduction in almost all cases. System 

operational tests have demonstrated mean survival rates in excess of 90% across a range 

of fish species.

Because Beaudrey, a France-based company, also has an American office, Tt contacted 

the American office via email to discuss information on their system operational tests. 

On March 4, 2008, Tt spoke with Brian Hittle, Director of Beaudrey’s USA projects, 

regarding the company’s intake screening products and unusually large share of the 

French intake technology market.

Tt learned that Beaudrey was founded in France in 1982 to develop aquatic organism 

protection technologies for the Electricité de France, and that there are no national 

regulation regarding aquatic organism protection in France, Belgium, or Portugal (the 

countries where Beaudrey has worked), or in the European Union. Mr. Hittle likened the 

European aquatic organism protection regulatory framework as similar to the U.S. before 

the passage of the 316(b) regulations – site-specific, locally-driven permits to protect 

aquatic organisms in specific, high-value waterbodies.
While over 90% of France’s nuclear power plants use Beaudrey drum screens, only two 

facilities use the patented Fish Protection System (FPS); there are also systems installed 

at facilities in Belgium and Portugal. The company, both in its European and American 

offices, remains extremely active in the in the intake technology market.

Tt found that the original Beaudrey screens were Ristroph screens equipped with fish 

buckets. The company’s newest fish protection technology, the FPS, includes a 

Hidrostal® fish pumps and backwash screens and works with all types of Beaudrey

traveling screens, drum screens, and W Intake Protection (WIP) screens. The FPS also 

works with fine mesh screens and can be installed at the same time as the screens or 

added/retrofit later. Fish are impinged for a maximum of one minute, as the FPS operates 

at one revolution per minute. With the FPS/WIP screen combination (rotating screening 

wheel with no chains or sprocket teeth), Beaudrey guarantees no carry-over of debris or 

fish. The company has found that this system works well for high, low, and mid-range 

water levels.

Mr. Hittle explained that Beaudrey replaces other company’s screens when installing its 

FPS; he did not specify whether the FPS could be installed on or with other companies’ 

screens, only indicating that the Beaudrey doesn’t, preferring instead to do a wholesale

replacement. He also noted that the Hidrostal® fish pump is the only technology

approved by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in California to move fish; there are many 

papers available discussing this technology.

Mr. Hittle stated that representatives from Beaudrey have previously met with Martha 

Segall (USEPA) to discuss the applicability of Beaudrey’s technology for 316(b) 

requirements; the meeting took place after the Phase II Rule had been promulgated. Mr. 

Hittle indicated that the company has years’ worth of impingement and entrainment data 

at its French sites and is willing to share this data upon request.

Mr. Hittle stated that Beaudrey has not had much presence in the U.S. market, but is 

working on market penetration. Beaudrey is currently running an EPRI-funded pilot 

study to test its FPS; the pilot test has been running since fall 2006. The pilot study has 

been collecting data on the effectiveness of the FPS on naturally-occurring fish species; 

the pilot test moved on to introduced species in spring 2008. The data collection includes

both numbers and types of fish impinged. Mr. Hittle reported that impingement survival 

holds steady at about 90% for the naturally-occurring species, though the pilot study does 

not account for fish that were weak or dead prior to impingement. Beaudrey expects to 

have even higher survival rates with the introduced fish. In follow-up communications, 

Mr. Hittle indicated that Beaudrey conducted a series of native fish sampling events 

during March and early April, and conducted the first of a series of hatchery fish 

introduction experiments (1,500 fish) on April 30th. Mr. Hittle reported that much of this 

research is sponsored or in partnership by/with EPRI, and an EPRI representative (Doug 

Dixon) was to be present to observe the introduction experiment. On May 13, 2008, Mr. 

Hittle reported on the preliminary mortality study results from the Beaudrey WIP screen 

fish introduction test after holding the fish for 48 hours (Table 1, below) and noted that a
full statistical report will be issued upon completion of the summer warm water test with 

more fish.

Mr. Hittle conducts power plant inspections up and down the Mississippi River valley; he 

commented that a common concern among plant operators is that a mandate for 

recirculating cooling towers will permanently lower water levels in the Mississippi River 

basin, or possibly, in the entire U.S., as large volumes of makeup water are taken up and 

never returned. Mr. Hittle noted that a facility in Kansas City has dug deep groundwater 

wells and begun using groundwater for cooling to avoid 316 intake water implications.

Table 1: Pilot Study Initial Results

Fish Species Control Group Survival Test Group Survival

Bluegill 101 live/101 total = 100.0% 

survival

197 live/199 total = 99.0% 

survival

Fathead Minnows 81 live/100 total = 81.0% 

survival

165 live/208 total = 79.3% 

survival

Channel Catfish 90 live/100 total = 90.0% 

survival

220 live/229 total = 96.1% 

survival