Electric Utility Problems in Meeting Urban Planning Requirements

With the advent of strict environmental requirements, urban planning for the next two decades will play an important part in the siting of fossil and nuclear power plants. The servicing of fossil plants with fuel and cooling water becomes increasingly difficult under environmental rules. Nuclear plants from safety considerations are difficult to include in an urban area. Hydroelectric power plants are not ordinarily an urban planning problem. Placing transmission and distribution lines underground resolves corridors and esthetics problems. Power parks located away from urban areas then become a standard form of meeting the energy needs of our urban communities. Reduction in power plant construction lead times may be possible if environmental problems are resolved by negotiating meetings of all interested problems prior to applications for licensing.