PPL pays fine to settle water claim |
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Fri, 14 Sep 2007 22:49
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - PPL Corp. has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a claim that its Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick used more water than authorized by a regional regulator, officials said Friday.The power plant received upgrades to its flow meters in 2001 and 2002 to meet federal regulations, but the upgrades also caused the power plant to increase its water intake, said Susan Obleski, a spokeswoman for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.PPL spokesman George Lewis said the company still disputes that the plant ever used more water than its permit allowed, but agreed to pay the $500,000 to get commission approval of its application to increase its water use.The application and settlement were approved by the commission at its Wednesday meeting, Obleski said.Allentown-based PPL, which is the operator and majority owner of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, asked the commission to use more water because it wants to increase the power output from the two generating units there, Lewis said.Power plants, which are the biggest water users in the Susquehanna River basin, use water to cool the steam that powers the turbines.The additional 200 megawatts in capacity PPL wants to add to the 25-year-old plant is enough to power 160,000 homes, Lewis said. The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still reviewing PPL's application to produce more power, he said.The money PPL will pay will help fund efforts to conserve water in the Susquehanna River basin. The $500,000 is among the largest fines levied by the commission, but is not the largest, Obleski said.Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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