Sheerness Generating StationSheerness Generating Station

Water Consumption and UseWater Consumption and Use

Red Deer River Watershed AllianceRed Deer River Watershed Alliance

Background InformationBackground Information

• Sheerness Station is co-owned by ATCO Power and TransAlta Utilities.

• ATCO Power manages and operates the facility.• The Station employs approx. 125 people with

about another 100 employed by the supporting coal mine (Prairie Mines Royalty ).

Background InformationBackground Information

• Two turbine/generators, 408 MW Gross ea.• Each boiler produces 1,125,000 kg (2.5

million pounds) steam per hour at 17.2 MPa (2,500 psi) and 536°C (997°F).

• Station maximum output is 780 MW Net.• Consumes approx. 11,000 tonnes coal/day.

Plant ProcessPlant Process

Water SourceWater Source• Pumphouse on the Red Deer River approx. 40

km SW of the generating station into a pipeline.

• Pipeline supplies water for agricultural users and the Henry Kroeger Regional Water Commission.

• Remainder to the 475 hectare cooling pond.• Water from cooling pond released into

ESRD’s (Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development) blowdown canal.

Aerial PhotoAerial Photo

Red Deer River PumphouseRed Deer River Pumphouse

• Three pumps: 2,600 KW each.• Capacity: 7110 m3/hr. (1.975 m3/s).• Diversion: Calculated from pump flow

curves.• Typically one or two pumps operate but

occasionally three.• Diversion only during warmer months.• Average diversion since 2007 is approx.

16,780,000 m3 annually.

Water Licence (Pumphouse)Water Licence (Pumphouse)ATCO Power Licence•Allocation: 22,000,000 m3

annually.•Rate of Diversion: 2.5 m3/s.•Average diversion since 2007, approx. 16,780,000 m3

annually.

ESRD (Alberta Environment) Licence•Allocation: Additional 13,800,000

m3 annually.•Rate of Diversion: Incorporated into the

licence issued to ATCO Power.

Public UsePublic Use

• Withdrawals from the pipeline and the blowdown canal for agriculture.

• Potable Water for Hanna, Oyen, and surrounding communities produced by the Henry Kroeger Regional Water Commission.

• Recreation at Prairie Oasis Park.

Generating Station UseGenerating Station Use

• At full load: 2.5 million pounds of steam per hour for each

turbine.• Largest use: cooling water for main

condensers, necessary to condense steam for reuse in boilers.

• Approx. 25,200 m3/hour recirculated through pond.

• Average pond evaporation since 2007 is approx. 9,206,000 m3 annually.

Other Station UsesOther Station Uses

• Demineralized water production for boilers and turbines.

• Potable water for station personnel.• Demineralized water and potable water

approx. 221,000 m3 annually.

Blowdown Canal (BDC)Blowdown Canal (BDC)• Water released from cooling pond for

agriculture.• Flows into ESRD’s blowdown canal to

Carolside Reservoir.• Crown Entitlement based on the water

licence.• Calculated from a base volume of

2,500,000 m3 + 1.12 m3/gross MWh.• Average release since 2007 is approx.

7,753,000 m3 annually.

BDC Water AnalysisBDC Water Analysis

• What’s in the River is in the Cooling Pond.• Samples collected from: -Red Deer River

-Cooling Pond.-Blowdown Canal.

• Samples sent to commercial lab for analysis.• Both required and voluntary performed.• ESRD Approval specifies monitoring and

reporting on the blowdown canal.• An Approval is like a licence.

BDC Water QualityBDC Water Quality• Continuous Monitors: pH, temperature and flow.• Visual Checks: signs of oil, solids, or

foaming.• Weekly Samples: Fe, Total P, TDS, TSS.• Monthly Samples: COD, (NO3+NO2)-N, TKN,

Dissolved O2. • Semi-annual Samples: Al, As, B, Cd, Cr, Hexavalent

Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Na, Pb, Mn, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Ag, V, Zn, Ca, K,

Cl, SO4, Reactive Silica, Total Alkalinity, Conductivity, Turbidity, Total Hardness, TOC, Colour.

Water BalanceWater BalanceWater Into Cooling Pond•Water diverted from the Red Deer River.•Pipeline withdrawals.•Annual rainfall and snowfall. Average since 2007 is approx. 1,592,000 m3 annually.

Water From the Cooling Pond•ESRD blowdown canal allotment.•Water consumed at the Generating Station.•Cooling pond evaporation.•Cooling pond volume change.

2013 Water Balance2013 Water Balance Crown Entitlement: 8,532,673 m3

To the Cooling Pond•Total Diverted: 16,982,679 m3

•Total Pipeline Withdrawals: 1,537,229 m3

•Total Pumped to Cooling Pond: 15,445,450 m3

•Total Rainfall: 1,456,333 m3

From the Cooling Pond•Total into Blowdown Canal: 7,685,345 m3

•Total Consumed by Power Station: 220,825 m3

•Total Evaporated from Cooling Pond: 8,904,964 m3

•Change in Cooling Pond Volume: +90,649 m3

Questions?Questions?