Warrior Ridge, a small existing hydroelectric power project located on the Juniata River about 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream from Huntington, Pa., experienced flood damage from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The flooding made the equipment inoperable. The future of the project was questionable and the economics of reactivation was investigated before a course of action was decided. A number of options that included surrender of the Federal Power Commission (FPC) license; repair of the existing equipment and facilities; redevelop the existing station by utilizing new equipment and modifying existing facilities; redevelopment of the site for a small pumped storage project; or no action, were evaluated. Based on a review of the options and the economics associated with each, it was decided to redevelop the project by replacing damaged equipment with new equipment and modifying existing facilities.

This is a systematic method of analyzing a partially uplifted base mat on an elastic foundation, without removing tensile soil springs. The initial system stiffness matrix is used throughout the operation. The method becomes beneficial and important when the size of the system stiffness matrix of a finite element model is relatively large and many loading conditions cause the mat to be uplifted partially in different ways. The generalized equilibrium equations can be incorporated with general structural analysis computer programs, such as STRUDL, SAP, etc.

Differences between design of nuclear facilities and conventional structures are noted. The seismic design process begins with site investigation. Two design earthquakes, the operating basis earthquake (OBE) and safe shutdown earthquake (SSE), are determined from a study of historical seismicity, geology, and tectonics. The OBE has a reasonable probability of occurrence during the facility design life. The SSE is based on maximum earthquake potential for the site. Conventional structures are commonly designed for earthquake levels corresponding to the OBE. Ductile inelastic behavior is considered acceptable response. Nuclear facilities are designed to remain elastic under the larger SSE loading. Seismic analysis is performed in phases beginning with overall analysis of structure and soil that determines gross motions. Soil-structure interaction is analyzed by either the impedance function approach or finite element method. Response from this analysis is used for more detailed analyses of structures or components. Ultimately all structures and components necessary for safety are seismically qualified by analysis or test.

Fifteen separate interviews were conducted with 49 design and construction staff personnel representing five organizations. The results indicated that the most important items in the design-construction cycle of a nuclear power plant are overall coordination, equipment availability, design-construct lead-time, and handling of design changes. Coordination encompasses activities necessary to handle all the other high impact delay cases. Use of computerized systems facilitates storing, handling, and sorting of the data for the many different tasks of the coordinating teams. The southeastern utilities have taken major steps in development and implementation of management information systems and innovative project control systems. The Tennessee Valley Authority and Duke Power Company have made impressive progress in objective identification and system implementation. Other companies have requested their design-construct contractors to develop and use computer-based systems for scheduling, procurement, and startup testing.

Recent concern about subsurface leaching from fly ash disposal sites has generated research to investigate this phenomenon. Among the constituents of the leachate are soluble heavy metals that are found in high concentrations on many fly ashes. This paper reviews those factors which are most important in heavy metal release and reports on some results from a leachate field investigation at an active disposal pond. The pH, which may be determined by the acid-base characteristics of the fly ash, degree of surface concentration of metals, presence of complexing agents, and soil physical and chemical properties are seen as the major considerations affecting leachate quality and quantity. Alternatives which include the use of lining materials, addition of chemicals to sluice water, conversion to a dry handling system, and selective mixing of fly ashes are considered as possible disposal strategies if greater control is deemed necessary.

The Merkel equation is solved using numerical techniques. The input parameters are adjusted to render solutions over the normal range of operating conditions. The analytical results based upon the use of the simulation model are fitted using a least-squares regression analysis. A power series expression is developed which explicitly relates the approach to wet bulb in terms of cooling range, a dimensionless mass transfer coefficient, wet bulb temperature, and a dimensionless liquid to air flow ratio. The power expression was found to fit the calculated input data to within 5% (normally 1°;F to 2°F).

This paper shows how the value of tidal energy is enhanced when it is integrated into an electrical system using a pumped-storage scheme. An optimum operations policy for the combined tidal and pumped-storage schemes has been determined by a dynamic programming method. This objective has been demonstrated for a tidal energy scheme in the Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, and a pumped-storage scheme on the St. John River, Maine–known as the Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project. It was assumed that the energy produced by both stations would be sold in a joint Maritime Provinces/New England electricity supply system. The paper concludes that optimally integrating the tidal energy in the way described leads to an increase in the value of the tidal energy to the system of 9% in an average water year.

The offshore region has been cited as a location to construct wind energy conversion systems because this region offers reduced surface drag; therefore, higher wind speeds and greater wind power may be harnessed than on land. A result of a statistical analysis of wind speed records for the Gulf of Maine region shows that six seasonal wind groups can be identified and that the gamma distribution adequately describes the wind speed frequency. The results show that for six months of the year higher wind speeds can be obtained offshore than inland. The use of the gamma distribution of wind speed for the operational characteristics of wind turbines show there is questionable gain in operating a turbine in an offshore environment. Historical wind speed records of the Boston Logan Airport, the Boston Lightship, and data collected on board ships that traversed the Gulf of Maine region were used in the study.

This paper describes the failure and repair of a 1920's vintage 78-in. (198-cm) diam, 1-1/4-in. (3.18-cm) thick riveted and forge-welded penstock. The failure occurred at a metallurgical discontinuity located in a forge-welded joint when the turbine shut-off valve swung closed in less than 3 sec.

A lightning stroke on the peak of a transmission line tower causes a current to flow to the ground through the peak members if the overhead ground wire is not connected directly to the ground electrode. The resultant electromagnetic forces cause a stressing of these members. The extent of stressing of the tower peak members due to these forces is mathematically analyzed. A typical tower peak is designed to withstand forces due to normal external loads. The failure of the tower peak so designed due to electromagnetic forces caused by lightning currents is illustrated with an example. The remedial measures to minimize stressing due to lightning currents are listed. An electrical connection between the overhead ground wire and the ground electrode or reinforcement of the tower peak are recommended to be the viable remedial measures.

A linear programming model for long-range regional power plant siting is presented. Designed for use in energy planning studies as a bridge between energy scenarios and environmental transport models, it can also be used by siting agencies to analyze alternative siting strategies in terms of cumulative environmental impacts on a region, and to assess the economic penalties associated with various regulatory strategies. The model includes consideration of air, water, and land-use contraints, and is applied to the New York Power Pool in a simulation of the impact of various air pollution control strategies.

A dynamic programminng model has been developed for minimizing the cooling costs of a series of power plants along a tributary discharging into an estuary. Heat production and dissipation equations are utilized. The method of cooling is a once through no recycle system utilizing cooling ponds. The minimal cost policy is subject to several constraints including stream and estuary standards, land availability, budget limitations, and equity based on treatment levels at each power plant. The model has been applied to a hypothetical system using conditions typically found in summer in central Texas. The effect of variation of stream and estuary standards, degree of land availability, and degree of equity on the minimum cost policy are compared. This model can be used by planning and regulatory agencies for the purpose of analyzing the economics of regulatory standards and management policies.

The 1973 energy crisis intensified the search for nonconventional energy sources. One of the alternatives usually proposed is the use of power from waves at the sea. The average power per unit length of shoreline as well as the way this power is distributed in time and according to the sea state are; crucial factors in the design of adequate energy extracting devices and in the appraisal of their feasibility and competitive value. Concerning the eastern Mediterranean coast, this important information has, the knowledge of the writers, not been published so far.