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October 9, 2006 | Sufficient water supply available for local uses and power plant Contact : Nancy Southworth A third-party report indicates sufficient groundwater supply exists for both local uses and Associated Electric Cooperative’s proposed power plant. The report is now available to the public. AECI plans to build a 660-megawatt, coal-based power plant to meet growing electricity demand among its member-owners: six generation and transmission cooperatives that serve 51 local distribution cooperatives. The proposed plant site is northwest of Norborne, Mo. The alternate site is in Holt County near Big Lake, Mo. A key component of the project is sufficient water supply. AECI responded to neighbors’ suggestions and decided to place the plant’s supply wells near the Missouri River because it would limit potential impacts on neighboring wells. In May the public was invited to view part of a well-pumping test as part of a study at a site adjacent to the river about seven miles south of the proposed plant site. Because of the supply wells’ close proximity to the river, most of the water supply for the plant will be drawn from below the riverbed and the immediate area around the well site. Even under the worst-case scenario – low river levels and severe drought coupled with maximum demand from the power plant – results of the well study predict no negative impacts to nearby wells. The well study and analysis were conducted by Collector Wells International (CWI), an Ohio-based water supply design and construction company. CWI’s previous projects include a 25 million gallon-per-day (MGD) well system on the banks of the Missouri River near Kansas City. AECI’s proposed power plant will use a daily average of about 8 MGD. The well study for AECI’s power plant included seven monitoring wells and a test well for a 72-hour pump test to measure potential water yield, quality and effects on the surrounding area. Results of this study show sufficient water quantities available for plant operation. In addition, the results predict no negative impacts on local groundwater supply. To ensure nothing is overlooked, AECI is scheduling appointments with nearby homeowners, landowners and irrigation well operators to review the study results and collect additional, important information about local groundwater supply. AECI also will develop a long-term plan to monitor the water table in the vicinity of the plant’s supply wells. Individuals interested in learning more are invited to schedule an appointment to review the well study results. Appointments are available Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to review the study results at AECI’s Norborne office and meet with groundwater experts who will be at the office that day to share results of the well study. To schedule an appointment please call the Norborne office at 660-593-2000. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In addition, the complete well-study report will remain available at the Norborne office, the Carrollton and Norborne public libraries and on www.aeci.org. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V Released: 9 October 2006
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