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Case Study: Water Intake At New Illinois Power Plant Designed For Variable Flows
January 5, 2006
•Case Study: Water Intake At New Illinois Power Plant Designed For Variable Flows
The intake system that will draw cooling makeup water from the Kaskaskia River for the $250-million Holland energy plant in Shelby County, IL, was designed to balance construction cost imperatives against the river's variable flow, regulatory requirements and the owner's operating preferences. The result is a state-of-the-art vital element for the gas-fired, combined cycle plant.
The facility will generate 650 MW from two gas-fired turbines and a single steam turbine when it enters service in 2002. Holland Energy LLC, the owner/developer, is an affiliate of Constellation Energy Group, a Baltimore-based energy company. It is a leader among the wholesale energy companies that have emerged since deregulation changed the production and distribution hierarchy for electrical energy. The Holland Energy facility is among a recent generation of plants that are more efficient and environmentally friendly than earlier counterparts.
In selecting a location for a power plant, candidate sites rarely offer the three essentials—fuel, distribution grid and water—in equally close proximity, noted Joel Caves, Ph.D., PE, hydraulic engineering consultant with Parsons Energy & Chemicals Group, part of the project team. "They normally want fuel and distribution together and will build a line to transfer water to the plant.
"In this case, the distance between the Kaskaskia River and the power plant site required construction of a 29,000-ft.long HDPE water line," Caves said.
The essential fuel and distribution links existed much closer to each other. The plant will be fueled by a 36-inch and one of two, 30-inch natural gas pipelines owned by Kinder Morgan. The plant's output will feed to Ameren Corporation's 345 KVA overhead distribution system and then wheel to various wholesale customers.
Plant developers logically want more standardization in the supporting infrastructure for their facilities. However, the uniqueness of every facility, particularly at the intake structures, has thus far scuttled any ‘cookie cutter' design solution.
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