Permitting dries up promise of water from Diablo desalination plant
The Tribune Editorial Board wants to know why the idea of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant’s desalination plant supplying water to the South County was scrapped. All they have to do is look at the permits that allow the desal plant to operate.
The brine being discharged by the desal plant is more salty than the ocean and is diluted by various Diablo Canyon’s saltwater cooling pumps. I don’t know how many pumps need to be kept running to dilute the brine being discharged.
It’s all in the permits, what they require and when they expire.
What are the chances of getting new permits? Slim to none.
Don Bearden, Los Osos
This story was originally published September 25, 2016 at 1:57 PM with the headline "Permitting dries up promise of water from Diablo desalination plant."