BEC Wilson City EIA

[abaco.cares]

BEC and the Government have released a partial EIA for the Power Plant at Wilson City. We thank the Government for releasing the portion they have. Also we look forward to them releasing the Dock and Pipeline EIA and other pertinent information.

This portion of the EIA is available at the BEC website.
http://www.bahamaselectricity.com/about/news_releases/index.cfm?rInstance=2

[phatman]

anyone able to successfully download this file? i get a "damaged file" error.

j

[DrRalph]

It opened for me, huge file, 151 pages, looks like an all-day read. We would post it here as an attachment but the file size is too large.

[SamFamAustin]

We would post it here as an attachment but the size is too large.

My wife says that all the time, Doktor! :D

Perhaps a smaller "executive summary size" would be nice?

My wife says that all the time too, Doktor... :eek:

[Patti Puzo]

LOL! Sammie, All these years and she just thought you were glad to see her!?!;):D

[Long Look]

Sam there is an executive summary in the report starting on page 12.

[SamFamAustin]

Sam there is an executive summary in the report starting on page 12.

I guess you want me to read it so I can throw the Riot Act at 'em, right? OK, I'll look at the clean air parts. Beware, I call them like I see them and I hate for this issue to boil over all over again. DrRalph might not take too kindly to that, ya think? :confused:

[Long Look]

Sam, what you chose to do with the information is up to you. You do not have to read anyone the riot act.

I have always found that I start by reading the summary and end up reading other sections too. Reports like these are not difficult reads, but are very intimidating because of their size.

[DrRalph]

I guess you want me to read it so I can throw the Riot Act at 'em, right? OK, I'll look at the clean air parts. Beware, I call them like I see them and I hate for this issue to boil over all over again. DrRalph might not take too kindly to that, ya think? :confused:


Sammie, have at it.

[SamFamAustin]

Gosh, with Roadrunner it was downloaded in to no time. Can't be too bad.

[SamFamAustin]

General Comments

Often the EIR draws conclusions that cannot be supported by any data. There is no wind rose, preliminary air quality screening modeling, or any discussion of emission rates from the MAN engines - which should be certified to emit at "x" levels. Many of the air sections appear to be "filler" that includes some useful information, but no meaningful analysis other than the site is "remote."

With respect to alternate sites, only Snake Cay and an expansion at Marsh Harbour were evaluated, and quickly thrown out in a matter of two sentences. Marsh Harbour was too close to residents and Snake Cay was ... well that one was hard to tell why it was no good. Norman's Castle wan't even mentioned.

Here are some section-by-section comments just about the air quality issues.


4.1.4 Air Quality - Introduction

They punt on this, and rely on information from Clifton Point and Blue Hill, although with no supporting evidence in this section. Definitely filler material.

5.1.2 Air Quality Impacts - Construction

Construction emissions are not included in the analysis, which I suppose is OK. Emission controls are not addressed other than they might do some, like paving or watering roads. In the environmental reviews I've done, however, construction emissions had to be counted in an emissions inventory to see if it was below certain tonnage levels, which would prove it as really being "significant" or not.

5.4.1 Air Quality Impacts - Operation

The HFO used at Clifton is the chief example, a heavy fuel having 1.5 percent sulfur by volume weight. That is cleaner than some "Bunker C" fuels of 2.7 percent but is still heavy, heavy fuel. Being that fuel sulfur levels can vary widely on today's market, there is no comparison of various heavy fuel formulations or discussion of a sulfur-in-fuel cap.

The subsection about suspended particulate matter was not very well done and reflects a lack of knowledge on the subject.

When the Wilson City EIR was written, the Bahamas did not have any air quality standards. This is rather shocking in itself, although US EPA standards are mentioned for ambient air and new stationary sources. Strangely, other international standards such as the WHO are not even discussed.

Prevention of Significant Deterioration standards are mentioned in passing, but without any evidence or support the EIR claims that they are "not required to perform extensive impact analyses ...." What this really means is that they weren't paid to do any air quality modeling, such as using the Industrial Complex Short Term Model (e.g., ICST3), or a more complicated dispersion model. Lack of any modeling, even a crude screening model, is a glaring error of omission.

5.4.2 Acid Precipitation

As some interesting reading, the EIR concludes that Wilson City "is unlikely to contribute ... to acid rain ...." This is probably because the Bahamas are not located in the Northern US, where it has historically been a problem. We have no idea is sulfur acid mist and rain deposition is an issue or not.

6.3.1 Air Emissions - Annual Reviews

Using Clifton Pier as an example, it was noted that there were big concerns about particulate and smoke opacity. The stacks were raised and the problem seemed to go away. Then the EIR says that if Wilson City is similar to Clifton Pier, the US standards for sulfur dioxide would most likely be exceeded up to 5 times per year. This doesn't seem very comforting.

7.2.1.1 Air Emissions - Monitoring

Of course the engines would be monitored for oxygen and manifold temperature, and nitrogen and sulfur oxides would be monitored in the exhaust stacks, with particulate matter as well. This seems normal.

7.2.1.2 Ambient Air Quality - Monitoring

Here, air quality samplers are set out downwind of the smokestacks in "public air" outside its fence. Only nitrogen and sulfur oxides would be monitored. The monitoring would be done for only two years, and then conducted periodically whenever they want. This curiously leaves out particulate matter, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and acidity.

8.3.5 Air Quality - Environmental Acceptability

The conclusion says that carbon dioxide is a key pollutant of concern, although nowhere in the EIR is it mentioned how that would be measured. The section ends by saying nobody lives close enough to Wilson City to warrant any concern -- even though monitoring seems to be a requirement. The "remote location" aspect is reiterated one final time.

[WandaT]

So since you have seen the EIA, what about people living closer than 7 miles?

[SamFamAustin]

So since you have seen the EIA, what about people living closer than 7 miles?

I think it would be a good idea if a monitoring station was near some of the scattered homes in that area, best as possible.

I have attached a picture of what one looks like, one that was by my house when I lived in Austin. It is a piece of land about 75 feet square with a trailer, in which the monitoring instruments are enclosed. Power is required, thus the telephone pole. The one is fully automated with a radio, so an antenna has been erected. The other vertical mast is for the weather information, such as wind speed and direction. The actual air is sampled at the "snorkel," that white pipe on the trailer on the left side.

On the right-hand side, you can see some particulate samplers, which usually are installed two at a time. One kind is for whole particulate (10 micron max) and the other shiny one is for fine particulate aerosol (2.5 micron max). It is the invisible, ultra-fine particulate that is the reason for health concern - and why visible smoke is such a poor indicator of air quality.

Picture courtesy of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

[WandaT]

What would the difference in emissions be between Heavy Oil/Bunker C and Diesel?

[SamFamAustin]

What would the difference in emissions be between Heavy Oil/Bunker C and Diesel?

Duel switching from bunker C to diesel:

Lower visible smoke (opacity), less fly-ash
Lower odor levels
90% less sulfur dioxide
40-60% less particulate matter
Less black smoke during startup and shut-down
No need to fuel line heating

In addition, there would be less fuel rejection from the centrifuge and filters. Heavy fuel oil has quite a bit of water and particles in it, being less refined, so heavy bunkers send some dirty fuel oil to a waste tank; this waste oil is either taken off by a tanker or truck for reprocessing or disposal, or incinerated. Diesel does require such high levels of waste oil.

[papanasty]

http://www.abacoforum.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif Freeport Power plant
Toni my top employee had to go to Freeport last week end for a funeral and since the issue with the Power Station being built he took notice of the Power Plant in Freeport and he said he followed the Stacks from the Power Station about 7 miles while he was driving near there until they actually reached were the Power Station is and from the time he saw the stacks he watched the top of the stacks to see the SMOKE that is portrayed in the video that was being circulated on youtube coming out of the stacks or for that matter NO SMOKE NOTICABLE http://www.abacoforum.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

He said all this time people been *****ing about the new Power Station and he grew up all his life in Hawksbill and never really noticed the stacks at the Freeport Power Station until all the publicity came about and what is in that Video is NOT what comes out of the stacks in Freeport!!! He said he wished he had a Video Camera so he could have taken some Video of what exactly comes out the stacks http://www.abacoforum.com/forums/images/smilies/eek.gif He said he could not see any smoke until they got right up on the Power Station and they had the sun at there back and he could barely see anything coming out of the stackshttp://www.abacoforum.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Don't be swayed by the Radical Eco Fanatics that are out there trying to make a minimal situation in to a devastating result with out seeing for your self the next time your in Freeport take the time to go LOOK for your self and you will see that it is NOT as it has been portrayed http://www.abacoforum.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif


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[SamFamAustin]

You could well be right about the stack emissions being much cleaner, and if my memory serves those stacks were re-engineered and elevated several years ago.

But smoke opacity - the reddish black smoke you might not might not see - is a nuisance problem, not a health concern. The real health problem is from the invisible stuff less than 10 microns (a human hair is about 35 microns thick). Those MAN "bang and whallop" engines emit about 0.2 to 1.7 grams of particulate per kilowatt hour, no matter if the engines are tuned perfectly and you can't see any smoke. (Technical reason: 86% carbon and 1.5% sulfur in the fuel, simple thermodynamics.)

Unfortunately, pictures of nasty smoke plumes is rather besides the point, although it is deliberately intended to offend the reader, and associate it with all things bad. It's kind of an urban legend, or myth. :cool:
sammie

[abaco.cares]

The full EIA for the Wilson City Power Plant is now available on line at the BEST web site. This EIA now has diagrams and photos of the affected area of the pipeline and dock.

http://www.best.bs/wilsoncity.html

We hope you will take the time to read this and to educate yourselves as to the impacts this project will have. Voice your opinions and write letters to the Editor and contact your elected officials to voice any and all concerns you may have in regards to this project..

[gazeboman]

If there is anything re spill response in the documents I could not find it. I read one comment on another venue that there is a response plan with trained people & equipment in Nassau. That probably would not help much if a spill occurred in Abaco. Anyone have any ideas or info on this?

[abaco.cares]

Go-ahead for Judicial Review of $105m plant

Published On:Friday, December 04, 2009
By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
OPPONENTS of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation's (BEC) $105 million Wilson City power plant yesterday won the Supreme Court's permission to launch Judicial Review proceedings in a bid to prevent its construction, although an application for an injunction to stay further building work before the case is heard was refused.
The Supreme Court also refused to grant Responsible Development for Abaco (RDA), a company formed to represent the interests of Abaco landowners and residents who oppose the BEC plant, an interim discovery order that would give them access to government documents, reports and studies on the proposed Wilson City plant.
That decision, as well as the one on the injunction, will be appealed to the Court of Appeal, Tribune Business understands.
In his submissions to support RDA's application for Judicial Review, Fred Smith QC, the Callenders & Co attorney and partner, said his two clients - Abaco resident Matthew McCoy was named as the second applicant - would be "substantially affected by the power plant, economically and in terms of their health and immediate environment".
"The power plant threatens to have a very substantial impact on all these persons," Mr Smith alleged. "The applicants claim that the power plant will be damaging to their health and to the environment through water and air pollution.
"The potential for catastrophic damage to the environment is also non-negligible, especially given BEC's poor record in maintaining and supplying oil-fired power plants.
"These environmental impacts will in turn have economic impacts. Tourism, Abaco's principal economic driver, is likely to be adversely affected, which will directly and financially affect the applicants. Further the impact of the power plant in contributing to global warming and rising sea levels, and damaging the reputation of the Government of the Bahamas and its ability to lobby other countries to adopt green power-generating technologies, will in the long-term affect all residents of low-lying islands such as the Bahamas."
Mr Smith alleged that his clients had a "legitimate expectation of full and proper consultation" on the Wilson City project and its impacts, but the Government, BEC and other relevant agencies failed to do this.
"In this case, the health and economic well-being of the inhabitants of Abaco are at stake," he argued in his submissions to the Supreme Court. "Their rights and interests are affected, and they should have had the opportunity to make representations.
"The Prime Minister himself admitted on 30 October, 2009, that consultation should have taken place at an earlier stage. Further, such consultation as there was inadequate and ineffective, as the EIA had not been made publicly available to enable the applicants to make representations based on a full appreciation of the relevant facts. By withholding the EIA and failing to take proper consultative steps, the Government has not acted in a procedurally fair manner but has prejudiced the rights and interests of the applicants."
Mr Smith alleged that by the time the Government first consulted Abaco residents on the project at the September 10, 2009, Town Meeting, construction at Wilson City had already begun.
"At that meeting it was made plain that: the current power plants could not be 'patched up'; it was too late to look for green alternatives; and it was too late to look for alternative sites, or even the use of an alternative fuel. This was not consultation but an attempt to force the residents of Abaco to become resigned to a decision which had long since been taken," Mr Smith alleged.
"Work on the site had even started as early as September 2008, when part of the site was cleared. The fact that work started prior to the EIA even being produced (in October 2008) demonstrates that the EIA, too, was window dressing - it was clearly intended that the plant would be built at Wilson City regardless of its environmental impact."
Alleging that BEC had been granted "retroactive" permits for work already started, Mr Smith argued: "The damage to the reputation of the Bahamas, and the consequent economic consequences if the Government is permitted to ignore the rule of law and obtain relevant permissions wrongly and retrospectively without penalty, will deter financial investment in the Bahamian economy and deter second home owners from buying property in, and contributing to the economy of, the Bahamas."
As a result, in citing his grounds for a Judicial Review he alleged that the decision to go ahead with Wilson City was "irrational on any proper consideration of the environmental, economic and public health impacts", and some decisions were "not in the best interests of the Bahamas".
Returning to the argument that construction permits required were BEC were granted retroactively, after construction on Wilson City had begun, Mr Smith alleged that the Ministry of the Environment had "conflicting portfolios" - relations with BEC and the petroleum industry on one hand, and the environment on the other.
To support his arguments for Judicial Review, Mr Smith alleged that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Wilson City power plant, completed in October 2008 by Florida-based KES Environmental Services, was only made public on November 6, 2009, following public pressure. And he claimed that the separate EIA for the three-mile pipeline between the plant and the Sea of Abaco was only published in recent days.
Mr Smith also alleged that the EIA failed to identify residential areas close to the proposed power plant, such as Little Harbour only three miles away. And the plans for a new National Park in eastern Abaco also appeared not to have been taken into account.

[yellowfin]

i think the island is a perfect place for a nuclear power plant

[sandy shaw]

http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/296036329922201.php

[PELLUCID]

Yellowfin jests, no? Oops, he is right. The Toshiba 4S reactor would provide 10MW of power for 6-13 cents/KWH. You pay upfront, the thing arrives fueled for 30 years, by then somebody should have a nuclear waste disposal facility operating that can accept small (0.7m x 2.0m) radioactive packages.

That's right, the core of the thing is smaller than a coffin.

Just doing my part to stir things up. Here's a link to start you, follow from there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshiba_4S

[yellowfin]

the whole world uses nuclear power, what better place then an island where fossil fuel is so hard and expensive to get!! i am sure the bunny huggers will nix the mere thought:eek:

[SamFamAustin]

A nuke? I don't see why not. But these tend to take 10 years just to plan and there could be some local resistance, whereas a stinky old diesel plant can be up and running in about 2 years. And look at the resistance to what is a fairly simple task, constructing a small diesel plant like the on proposed at Wilson City.

It's enough to make one want to start a small company to sell whole-house power, with options for kerosene and propane and small emergency generators, as well as windmills and solar heaters and electric panels. You can have a wide range of selections from the Mongo Cave Man (complete with bicycle generator from India) to the Abaco is for Sissies model, which offers 24/7 power with battery backups as well as emergency service technicians ... and a lifetime guarantee. :D

[gazeboman]

. You can have a wide range of selections from the Mongo Cave Man (complete with bicycle generator from India) to the Abaco is for Sissies model, which offers 24/7 power with battery backups as well as emergency service technicians ... and a lifetime guarantee. :D

I wish to submit a resume for the position of emergency service technician for the area of abacos bahamas. I guarantee I know AC/DC- (the band) and have never had an "excitation problem" that I couldn't solve. Where do I send the employment app and resume???

[SamFamAustin]

I wish to submit a resume for the position of emergency service technician for the area of abacos bahamas. I guarantee I know AC/DC- (the band) and have never had an "excitation problem" that I couldn't solve. Where do I send the employment app and resume???

LOL, I was having some fun there, too. I was thinking of starting out by creating a shell corporation, which of course would involve selling lots of shells. No experience needed, my friend, just a happy, positive attitude. :)

But on the more serious side, distributed power does make some sense, given the high cost of electricity on the islands and its monopoly. If you can make your own power and beat the BEC rates during something like a 10 year pay-back period, the business model would work.

This might be unfair, but look at what Baker's Bay did. They installed their own power plant, so as to not to be dependent on the grid. Economically, that makes sense even though the up-front costs are very high. That's distributed power in the sense that power generation is scattered throughout the cays, and I think becoming privatized more and more in the future.

The concept of whole-house power is not all that remote. If you recall, many homes and farms had their own power many years ago before electrification happened and all those telephone poles were installed, as late as the 1950s and 1960s in some rural places. I will admit that the duties and import taxes aren't all the much of an incentive these days, though.

[yellowfin]

FYI BEC PAYS DUTY ON EVERYTHING THEY BUY SO OUR RATES CAN BE THAT MUCH HIGHER WHEN WE DO HAVE POWER? now that makes no sense at all? i was at a customs broker one day in marsh and i saw bec file and asked why they paid duty??? i was told so they can charge us more???

[PELLUCID]

Yellowfin - there is a better answer, it is "Because the Bahamian government wants to balance regressive and progressives taxes, also domestic and foreign taxes." You may not believe that any current or former Bahamian government has that sagacity (nor do I) but just because someone has stumbled upon the truth does not deny its veracity.

[abaco.cares]

One of the concerns in regards to the Wilson City Power Plant was the location next to the Bight of Old Robinson. This photo shows the location and also the expansion plan for the plant. It is plainly visible that the plant is closer to the water than the stated 2 miles in the EIA. Also you can see where the pipeline will go through the mangrove area and along Spensers Point.

This is a very serious concern since the Plant will be within 1/8 mile of the nearest Blue Hole. These Blue Holes are connected with the ones at Snake Cay and also Cherokee. In fact there are numerous Blue Holes that are near the plant area.

With the Blue Holes being interconnected, any pollution at one site can travel with the tidal flow to the others. There by speading any pollutants.

[S/V Toucan Dream]

Yellowfin jests, no? Oops, he is right. The Toshiba 4S reactor would provide 10MW of power for 6-13 cents/KWH. You pay upfront, the thing arrives fueled for 30 years, by then somebody should have a nuclear waste disposal facility operating that can accept small (0.7m x 2.0m) radioactive packages.

That's right, the core of the thing is smaller than a coffin.

Just doing my part to stir things up. Here's a link to start you, follow from there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshiba_4S


Pellucid: This nuclear reactor puts out 10MW. Would that powere the whole Abacos? What is the current demand?

This would have been the perfect solution if it were big enough, but it would have taken three or four years before being in operation according to the Toshiba information. This would be a very safe reactor because it uses liquid sodium instead of water, so there is very lot operating pressure.

[PELLUCID]

Oh man. Nuclear power has such a bad rep that I think most Bahamians would rather purchase their electricity from Mephistopheles himself than from a nuclear plant. Even if the energy source was from their dearly departed being roasted over the coals.

"Honey, I've got some good news and some bad news. Good news, we have a lifetime contract for all the electricity we want at 5 cents a kilowatt hour. Bad news, at midnight we have to meet a guy in a red suit with horns to sign over the soul of our firstborn."

Farfetched? Maybe. But nuclear power has moved beyond the realm of the rational in the minds of most.

[SamFamAustin]

I am not a big fan of the nuke after reading their maintenance reports - cracked reactor bottoms, failed emergency pumps, leaks (but no reported radiation), corroding pipes, and a field full of spend reactor fuel because there's no repository anywhere.

But the concept of a hybrid power plant with diesel base load and some expandable solar and wind turbine power appeals to me. At a central location, all these fine things can be metered to the localized grid at one point.

If you can keep one of the units from coming on - remember there are 4 and probably 2 will operate all the time - I think that's a real benefit there. If a megawatt or two makes the difference and the sun and wind are working with ya, why not? I should imagine at one of these 5-6 MW diesel generators could suck down several hundred gallons per hour. So I tend to like that and it demonstrates some diversification, which I think it a good thing.

Nobody has talked about ocean thermal energy, other than some old Bahamian blogs, but I did read that India has perfected a piping and boat system that can generate 1 MW in a test-bed, which could be expanded easily. If you take 40 degree deep ocean water and use a heat pump with 170 degree diesel cooling water, you'd really have something ... and they're looking into applications for freshwater desalinization (by condensation not filtration) as well. However, very experimental, I agree.

But a nuke, even a small one? Meh, not my preference. I was born next to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, enough radiation for one lifetime. Some of the declassified documents are rather frightening.