The debate surrounding the renewal of a water-discharge permit at the North Anna Power Station is nearly as heated as the water it pumps into Lake Anna. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has been fielding comments from the public before deciding whether to renew the permit this fall, even as Dominion Power considers building a third nuclear reactor at the site, which is 30 miles from Charlottesville.
The current conflict stems from a variance provision in the federal Clean Water Act. It allows Dominion to discharge water used for cooling nuclear reactors into the lake at temperatures higher than the limit, 90 degrees. Though Dominion maintains that there is no danger to aquatic life or the general public, some local residents disagree.
"The combination of all of these things and this new reactor could spell real disaster," says Jerry Rosenthal, longtime energy activist and Louisa resident, adding that the renewal of this permit ignores larger issues. "They were in essence saying…fish need to be belly up and people need to be dying, then they’ll look at it."
Before the warm water enters Lake Anna, it passes through a series of cooling lagoons. Dominion and the state hold that these lagoons are privately owned and thus not under the jurisdiction of the federal Clean Water Act. The general public, however, has access to the warm-water lagoons, which are popular for fishing and boating. A renewed water discharge permit would affirm the lagoons’ status as private waters.
"Prior to the lake being here, there were 10 public streams that ran through this area," says Harry Ruth, founder of the environmental group Friends of Lake Anna. "How can public streams be dammed up and magically become private waters in the cooling lagoons and then re-enter the main lake and become public waters again?"
Dominion Spokesperson Richard Zuercher says lagoon waters have always been considered private. He also notes that if Dominion builds a third reactor, then a different cooling system will be used to ensure the stability of the lake and the lagoons’ thermal conditions.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is expected to rule on Dominion’s site permit for a third reactor before the end of the year. Zuercher says, at the earliest, a new reactor could be online in 2015.
Previous coverage: Lake Anna’s in hot water
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