ML20235E023

Forwards Revised Memo Updating Utils Plan to Purchase Addl Power in Adjoining Areas in Order to Ease Summer Problem Re Power Shortage Facing Customers Served by Mid-America Interpool Network

ML20235E023
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities, 05000000
Issue date:	02/18/1972
From:	Ayers T COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
To:	Schlesinger J US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
Shared Package
ML20235B311	List: IA-87-111, Submits Rept on Plant,As Discussed in ACRS 150th Meeting on 721012-14.Listed Items Can Be Resolved During Const & Facility Can Be Constructed W/Reasonable Assurance for Operation W/O Undue Risk to Public Safety IR 05000254/1972009 IR 05000358/1972003 IR 05000358/1973001 IR 05000358/1973002 IR 05000358/1973003 IR 05000358/1973005 IR 05000358/1973006 IR 05000358/1973007 IR 05000358/1974001 IR 05000358/1974002 IR 05000358/1974003 IR 05000358/1975004 ML20235B308 ML20235B364 ML20235B401 ML20235B405 ML20235B424 ML20235B456 ML20235B461 ML20235B465 ML20235B477 ML20235B488 ML20235B507 ML20235B552 ML20235B582 ML20235B585 ML20235B588 ML20235B605 ML20235B618 ML20235B623 ML20235B649 ML20235B656 ML20235B662 ML20235B670 ML20235B679 ML20235B683 ML20235B687 ML20235B702 ML20235B708 ML20235B713 ML20235B714 ML20235B718 ML20235B720 ML20235B730 ML20235B734 ML20235B748 ML20235B754 ML20235B762 ML20235B764 ... further results
References
FOIA-87-111 NUDOCS 8709250455
Download: ML20235E023 (5)

Text

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Commonwealth Edison Company ONE FIRST NATIONAL PLAZA

• CNICAGO. ILLINOIS Addreu Reply f.;

Pott OrflCI SOX 767 sr CHICAGO, JillN OIS 40490 February 18, 1972 f?, ,

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Honorable James R. Schlesinger Tr , 4 b' Chairman  % __.

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U.S. Atomic Energy Commission l Washington, D.C. 20545 l l

Dear Mr. Schlesinger:

)i On January 21 I wrote you regarding the very serious power shortage facing customers in the area served by the Mid-America Interpool .

Network.

We have been working diligently to purchase any possible additional power in adjoin *,

ing areas in order to ease our summer problem.

Both Commonwealth Edison and the Iowa Pool recently arranged such purchases but our planned reserves are still totally inadequate. I did, however, want to bring you up to date on where we stand today. Attached is a revised memoran-dum similar to the one I send you on the 21st.

Sinc erely, z p, , .

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Thomas G. Ayers President 1000 8709250455 070921 PDR FDIA MENZ87-111 PDR

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Effect of Cuad Cities Availability on Electric Power Reserve Marcins for the Summer of 1972

1. Commonwealth Edison'Comoany Capacity without Quad Cities 13,602 mw Estimated Peak load 12,400 e

Reserve 1,202 mw or 9.6% .

With Quad Cities, Reserve 2,396 mw or 19.3% ,

Estimated % of capacity unavailable during half of the summer 22%

A' reserve of 9.6% is inadequate to provide for various contingencies. The principal problem is unavailability of generating equipment due to equipment failures. Commonwealth Edison normally plans to maintain a reserve of 14%. Experience has shown that this ragnitude of reserve is sufficient, providing that the generhting equipment has been adequately maintained.

The attached curves show the availability experienced on the Commonwealth Edison generators for the summers of 1965 and 1971; the higher values of unavailability for 1971 are the result to a large degree of deferral of maintenance, because of delays in completing the nuclear projects. In 1971, about 22% or more of our capacity was unavailable on 50% of the summer days. The experience for 1972 will probably be no better than 1971 because maintenance has been minimized due to the lack of capacity; this means that on 50% of the summer days we could expect about 3000 c.w or more to be unavailable. Without Quad Cities, the result would be a deficit of 2300 mw or more on the many days of the summer when peak loads are experienced. ,

The capacity shown above assumes completion of Powerton 5, an 840 mw coal-fired unit still under construction. While we expect this unit to be in service for this summer, the reliability of new large coal-fired units has been almost as poor as the nuclear units during their period of initial operation.

One reason for the high degree of unavailability of capacity during peak periods is that peak loads are experienced during hot weather, which is the time when generating capability is at its lowest. This is due primarily to the warm condensing*

water and our heat sensitive equipment.

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, t-With the possibility of large deficits without Quad Cities, we would be heavf.ly dependent on emergency power supply

- from neighboring utilities. However, emergency power, in the huge amounts required, is not likely to be available in 1972, due to continuing construction delays, the' delay in the Point Beach nuclear unit and restrictions which regulatory bodies have '

imposed on fossil units to lessen air pollution.

2. Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric Company (Owns 25%-of Guad Cities Station) 654 mw Cap (acity without Quad CitiesIncluding purchase of 60 mw)

Estimated Peak Load 714

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Reserve -60 mw or -8.4%

With Quad Cities, Reserve 268 mw or 38%

3. Iowa Pool (Made uo of all Iowa utilities) 3,368 mw Cap (acity without Quad CitiesIncluding purchases of 406 mw)

Estimated Peak Load 3,145 Reserve +223 mw or 7.1%

With Quad Cities, Reserve 551 mw or 17.5%

From #2 and #3 above, it is obvious that the Iowa systems will r.ot have adequate capacity to serve their peak loads this summer without the Quad Cities units.

4 Recional Reserve (MAIN, includine Iowa Pool)

Capacity without Quad Cities and Point Beach #2 35,265 mw Estimated Peak Load 30,990 Reserve 4,275 mw or 13.8%

With Quad Cities and Point Beach #2, Reserve 6,350 mw or 20.5%

Estimated % of capacity unavailable i during half of the summer 15%

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. . . With the possibility that 15% of the Benerating' capacity -

will be unavailable much of. the time, a reserve of 13% for the' MAIN region is not adequate.- As a result, if.the Quad Cities units are not in service this summer, we believe,that there will be a-grave = power shortage in our region. *

5. Possible Effect of Corns of Engineers Permit Problem MAIN Capacity without Quad Cities, .

Point Beach 42 and 6 new -

coal-fired ur.its

• 31,871 mw Estimated Peak Load 30.990

, Reserve 881 mw or 2.8%

The MAIN capacity shown under Item 4 includes seven new coal-fired units totaling 3394 megawatts. As stated above, experience with large new coal-fired units has been poor in recent years.. In'any event, the capacity available from these units has been jeopardized, to an extent difficult to appraise, by the decision of the District Court of the District of' Columbia in Kalur et al v, Resor et al. This case held that a complete NEPA

. revievi~must be uncertaken by the Corps of Engineers before it grants discharge permits for navigable streams, and that no permits are in any event available for discharges into non-navigable streams. The Corps of Engineers has suspended the issuance of permits, and if this prevents operation of the seven new coal-fired

, units included in MA"N's capacity, the result would be as shown l in the table immediately above. The situation would, of course, i be even worse if the failure of the Corps to issue ~ permits affected l

the new nuclear units or any capacity already on line, Revised 2/15/72 1/20/72

PE.R. CE. T CAPA61LlT/ UNAVAILAEU:. VS. PER.CEtjT TIME l

COMI.ioM HEALTH. EblSOM CO. FOR JULY'd AU6UST

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