The Proposed Poseidon Seawater Desalination

FacilityA Practical Assessment of Need, Feasibility,

Environmental Impacts, and Policy ImplicationsPRESENTED BY:

Poseidon’s Desalination Plant is Not Needed

Poseidon: What They Do

“We secure premier desalination plant locations co-located with power plants….with the capability to intake or discharge seawater….”

“Technology neutral approach enables tailored cost-optimized projects.”

“Possess intellectual property for desalination co-location with power plants.”

Source: www.poseidonwater.com

CA Statewide Policy Advances--

Poseidon’s Desal Design Doesn’t

2005SWRCB policy discussion begins to phase out open ocean intakes begins.

2007Poseidon Carlsbad CDP approved with open ocean intake.

2010• SWRCB orders

phase out of open ocean intake at 19 coastal power plants including Carlsbad and AES.

• MPAs for Southern CA are approved by Fish & Game Commission. 2011

SWRCB convened Expert Panels in preparation for Statewide Desalination Policy.

2012AES applies to decommission open ocean intake by 2020 or earlier.

2013• SWRCB Expert

Panels on Desalination publish recommendations.

• SWRCB to release Draft Policy before 2014.

2014SWRCB intends to adopt the Ocean Plan Amendment that establishes statewide standards for desalination facilities.

Policy Advancements Since Approval of Carlsbad Plant in 2007

Co-Location vs. Best Available

TechnologyPoseidon

Co-locates with power plants to reduce construction costs

Open ocean intake maximizes marine life mortality with potential adverse impacts to MPAs

Open discharge results in large brine plume

Designed for profit

Best Available Technology

Located where needed and site conditions are optimal

Subsurface intake minimizes marine life mortality and limits potential adverse impacts to MPAs

Spray brine diffuser reduced brine plume up to 90%

Designed to meet need

Subsurface is FeasiblePoseidon's Distorted

Depictionof Subsurface Intakes

Multiple intake pipelines to shore

Surface pump stationsAdverse impacts to

public access and vista

Operational Subsurface Seabed Infiltration Gallery in Fukuoka,

Japan

Singular intake from multiple galleries

No surface facilitiesNo adverse impacts to

public access and vista

Poseidon Must Prove that Subsurface is

InfeasiblePoseidon cites several Water Globe reports and

memos to claim that subsurface intakes are infeasible.

Report was prepared by Nikolay Voutchkov, a former Senior Vice President for Technical Services for Poseidon Resources.

Voutchkov is the inventor of the patent for co-location that was assigned to Poseidon Resources in 2005.

The CCC cannot rely on the Voutchkov ‘report’ to determine infeasibility.

Poseidon Never Proved Subsurface is

Infeasible Others performed onsite feasibility studies first, then

designed their project.

Poseidon designed its project first and never performed site specific studies offshore.

A report submitted 6 weeks ago by a former Poseidon employee only indicates wells cannot be built. Staff has never suggested wells.

Poseidon and SDCWA Accounted for Subsurface Intakes in their “Financial

Planning” for Carlsbad The Water Purchase Agreement acknowledges that a new

intake system could be required in 2017 at Carlsbad given a ‘change in law’ as a result of the “closure and decommissioning” of the open ocean intake as required by the OTC policy.

Poseidon and the SDCWA told the New York Times in 2013 that they had accounted for the “eventuality” of subsurface intakes in their “financial planning.”

Carlsbad was successfully financed with $734M in Tax Exempt Private Activity Bonds and $189M in private equity based on the WPA as collateral.

Proposed Open Ocean Intake

Obsolete technology built in 1958 for a Power Plant

Documented marine impacts

100 mile Source Water Population (SWP)

Tons of chemical additives a day

4 million+ gallons of wastewater discharge per day

Brine Discharge Hypersaline brine contains

residual chemicals, degrades water quality and displaces marine life

Proposed vertical open discharge designed for hot water not brine

Spray Brine diffuser would reduce Zone of Initial Dilution (ZID) by 90%

Biological Extent of Impacts

Total larvae for which impacts are assessed and source water areas are calculated.

Total larvae sampled

Total larvae entrained

Total organisms entrained

From Raimondi, Variation in Entrainment Impact Estimations Based on Different Measures of Acceptable Uncertainty, 2011.

There are Nine Coastal MPAs within 25 miles of the

Huntington Beach Generating Station

HBGSPoint

Vicente SMCA

Abalone Cove No Take SMCA

Bolsa Chica Basin and Bolsa Bay SMCAs

Upper Newport Bay SMCA

Crystal Cove SMCA

Laguna SMR and No Take SMCA

Dana Point SMCA

Image credit: NRDC

California’s Marine Protected Areas Have Been Designed to

Function as a NetworkMPA

Marine Protected Areas

The Coastal Act Contains Implicit Protections for

MPAs

Photo by Dana Murray

Photo by Dana Murray Photo by Marc Shargel

Poseidon’s Temporary Permits are not

EntitlementsTemporary Co-Location

PermitsNPDES Permit

State Lands Commission Lease

California State Parks Easement

Department of Public Health

Pipelines Routes within Costa Mesa

Permit for Standalone Operation

2020

2020

Not Final

EIR May Be Required

Temporary NPDES Permit

Under temporary stand-alone operations, the Discharger has little control over

the intake structure. Under these conditions, the existing intake meets the

best available design criteria. Pursuant to Water Code Section 13142.5(b),

the direct connection of the desalination plant to the HBGS's cooling water

system pipelines represents the best available design feasible to minimize

intake and mortality to marine life from the Facility's temporary stand-alone

operations. Because different and/or better designs may be feasible in the

future under long-term stand-alone operations, the Regional Water Board will

reevaluate the Facility's compliance with Water Code section 13142.5(b), best

design available requirement, under those conditions.

Poseidon Intentionally

Provided False Information in Carlsbad GHG Plan

2008 GHG Hearing: Poseidon assured the Commission that “water from the desalination plant will provide direct, one-for-one replacement of imported water”—Nov. 9, 2007 Poseidon letter

Poseidon SWP0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,0002010 Revocation Hearing: • “Water eligible for MWD’s subsidy

exclud[es] any Desalinated Seawater that…will not augment water supply.”—2005 MWD agreement

• “We expect MWD to take its full SWP and Colorado River rights and entitlements for the foreseeable future”—Jan. 20, 2010 MWD/SDCWA letter

AC

Poseidon Has Provided The Same False

Information AgainHB GHG Plan:

“Poseidon will be credited with emission reductions associated with the replacement of imported water from the SWP.”

Staff Report:

“Poseidon’s project will not ensure a decrease in imported water supplies to Southern California…this [automatic] ‘crediting’ approach to achieving carbon neutrality is not warranted.”

Which Project Design Offers More Jobs?

Poseidon Plant as Proposed

Continued Use of Open Ocean Intake Pipe Constructed in 1958

CCC Staff Recommendation

Additional Construction of: Water Infiltration gallery Subsurface Pump Station Connecting pipes Service road

Which Desalination “Train” Will Leave the

Huntington Beach Station?

1950’s Technology 21st Century Technology