Oak Creek Power Pla

Expansion Project 

Offshore Wedge-wire Scree

Alden – Desalination Intake Solutions 

Holden, Massachusetts

October 17, 2008
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Presentation Outlin

1. Project Location & Overview 2. Site Selection, Environmental 

Engineering Studies 

3. Water Intake Design4. Overview of Environmental P
Advantages of Expanding a

Oak Creek Power Plant 

1. Lake Michigan for Cooling 2. Electrical Transmission 3. Rail Infrastructure for Coa4. “Brownfield” Developmen
Project Location: Oak Creek
Project Overview -- Oak 

Expansion (OCXP) – 2 x 6
Oak Creek Expansion Pro
Oak Creek Site – Looking 
Oak Creek Project – Looking 

June 2008
Oak Creek Project – Looking 

August 2008
Oak Creek Site – Looking 

August 2008
OCPP Intake Structure 

Existing On-shore Intake Structure

Existing Shoreline Discharge Structures
Existing Intake Structur

Pumping Station
Primary Design Consid

 Cost to build and operate  Aquatic Life Protection

 Offshore Location  9.5 mm slot size WW Screens

 Navigation Clearance Debris and icing fouling protectio Resistance to zebra mussels Minimize System Head Losses
Cooling System Ove

Source: Bechtel
Johnson Cylindrical Wed

Screen Water Inta
Cooling System Ove
Cooling System Ove
Cooling System Ove
Facts & Figures

 Intake to Serve 

 4 existing OCPP coal-fueled gen

about 1140 MW

 2 expansion units (“ERGS”) – ab

 Combined power plant open cy

system flow rate of:

 1,560,000 gpm = 98.4 m

3/s = 2.2 
Facts & Figures

 9000’ & 27’ diameter tunnel thru  OCPP Intake Shaft – 26’ diamet OCPP Lift Station – addresses h

through screens and tunnel

 ERGS Intake Shaft – 18’ diamet

connects tunnel to the pump ho

 Offshore Shafts – 4 @ 12’ diam
Facts & Figures

 24 – 8’ Diameter x 35’ long Johnson 

w/9.5 mm (3/8”) slot size and maximscreen design intake velocity of 0.5 f

 4 sets of 6 screens w/9’ Diameter M

connected to 4 - 12’ drop shafts lead

 Located in 43’ of water depth below  Top of screens 30’ from lake surface “Z-Alloy” Metallurgy (zebra mussel p
Studies – Offshore Lo

Water Intake Tunnel

Source: UWM-WATER Institute
Studies - Geologic Cross 

Total Tunnel Length = 9000 feet
Studies – CFD Modeling - Com

Mesh for Screen Modu

Sou
CFD Modeling – Lake Curr

from North to Sou

Sou
CFD Modeling – Lake Curr

from North to Sou

Source: Alden
CFD Modeling – Current F

North to South - Source

Source: Alden
CFD Modeling – Current F

North to South - Source

Source: Alden
Hydrodynamic Modeling – 

Withdrawal & Area of In

Source: H

North to Sou

Current Dir
Oak Creek Expansion – 2 x 6

Lake Michigan

Outfall 013
Discharge Structure 

WPDES Permit Outfal
Cooling Water Discharge – 

Plume Modeling

Source: Baird & Assoc.
Intake Tunnel Constr
Tunnel Boring Mac
Intake Tunnel Construct
Intake Tunnel Construct
Intake Tunnel Constructi
Intake Tunnel Lin
Lined Section of Intake 
Offshore Down Shafts Con
Offshore Down Shafts Con
Offshore Down Shaft – 12’ 

Steel Pipe Section
Offshore Down Shafts Con

Upper Steel Bulkhead 

Removed to Flood Tunnel

Lower Steel Bulkhead 

Removed to Flood Tunnel
Water Intake-Wedge Wire 
Water Intake-Wedge Wire 
Water Intake-Wedge Wire 
Water Intake-Wedge Wire 
Intake Forebay Const
Intake Forebay Construc
Intake Forebay Const
Intake Forebay Const
ERGS Pump Hous
ERGS Pump Hous
ERGS Pump Hous
ERGS Pump Hous
Environmental Permit

1. WPDES Permit -- CWA 316(a) Va

development of alternative effluenheat addition to Lake Michigan. 

2. WPDES Permit -- CWA 316(b) Be

Technology Available (BTA) deciCooling Water Intake Structure. 

3. Army Corps Section 10 of Rivers & 

Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the 

4. Wisconsin DNR Chapter 30 Perm
Cooling Water – 316

 316(a) Evaluation:

 “...can demonstrate to the satis

Administrator (or if appropriate, that... control of the thermal coany discharge... will require efflimitations more stringent than nassure the protection and propabalanced indigenous population
Cooling Water – 316

 In conclusion, the scientific evid

presented to the Department suconclusion that the thermal discthe OCPP, the proposed OCXP combined discharges will “...asprotection and propagation of a indigenous population of shellfiwildlife...” in and on Lake Mich(Source: Wisconsin DNR)
Cooling Water – 31

 “...we believe that... the OTC

will maintain substantially simfish and shellfish within the wathat achieved using a cooling judgment is based upon a critof the submittal and our collecunderstanding of the Lake Micfishery. (Source: Wisconsin D
Cooling Water – 31

 We also concur with Dr. Kitch

conclusion that “...the major rfish population dynamics in Laare the direct and indirect ecointeractions affected by both fmanagement practices and thof exotics.” (Source: Wiscons
Conclusions about Intake 

 Offshore screens essentially w

impingement of fish.

 Entrainment reduction expect

offshore location and design.

 The open cycle system with w

screens will maintain substanlevels of fish and shellfish withwaterbody to that achieved ustowers and also provides: 
Conclusions about Intake 

 The most thermally efficient p

(roughly 2-4% loss w/cooling 

 Lower air emission rates, inclu Lower capital and O&M costs Avoids visual impacts associa

cooling towers. 
Credits – Engineering & Con

 EPC Contractor: Bechtel Power C Intake Subcontractor: Kenny/Shea  Engineering: Bechtel, Johnson Sc Hydraulics: Hatch Mott MacDonal Onshore Shafts: Ground Enginee Offshore Shafts: Case Foundation  Dredging/Sheet Piles: Edward E.  Geophysical Studies: Ocean Surv
Credits – Environmental 

 Alden Research Laboratory AKRF Baird & Associates EA Engineering, Science & Techn Hydroqual, Inc. University of Wisconsin-Milwauke

Institute

 University of Minnesota
Additional Informa

 For more information about en

and construction of the intake 

Isaacson, Jon, et al. 2007. Elm 

Generating Station Water Inta2007. Published in the proceeRapid Excavation & Tunneling Conference – 2007. 
QUESTIONS/COMME