QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Point Pleasant Pumping Station. 1. Q: Why does PE need water from the Delaware at Point Pleasant?

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1 Point Pleasant Pumping Station 1. Q: Why does PE need water from the Delaware at Point Pleasant? A: The water will be used as circulating cooling water at PE's Limerick Generating Station. As is common with modern generating plants of this size, a recirculating cooling system utilizing natural draft water cooling towers will be used to condense the steam which generates power. Actually, the water taken from Point Pleasant will be used to replace the water which is lost in the towers due to evaporation. This loss is expected to average about 35 million gallons per day. 2. Q: Why doesn't PE use oil or coal to fire Limerick and avoid the necessary cooling towers? A: The cooling towers are needed regardless of the fuel type. Limerick's cooling water will be circulated (from the condenser to the towers and back to the condenser). Circulating cooling water avoids the inherent problems of thermal polution that is sometimes experienced with "once through" cooling systems. 3. Q: How much water will PE pump from the river and who gives it the right to do so? A: The Company's ultimate demand will be 1+6 MGD (million gallons per day). The availability of water use at Limerick is governed by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DEBC). The DRBC weighs the competing uses of the waters of the basin with the availability of water and environmental factors. In the case of Limerick Generating Station, the DEBC has determined that water may be withdrawn from the Schuylkill River and Perkiomen Creek during periods of higher water flows to make up for evaporation loss in the towers. During periods when these water flows are below limits set by the DRBC, PE is permitted to pump water from the Delaware into the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek. This water will be withdrawn from the Perkiomen and pumped to Limerick.

2 Page 2 U. Q: What effect will the use of the Perkiomen Creek as a water conduit have upon its ecology? A: The water quality and aquatic life in the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek will be enhanced by maintaining a substantial minimum augmentation flow throughout the low-flow season irrespective of subsequent usage at Limerick. The augmentation will be curtailed when the potential for flooding is detected, 5. Q: Why is "the plant being built at Limerick when the water must be piped from the Delaware? Shouldn't the plant be constructed at Point Pleasant? A: As stated before, water from the Schuylkill and Perkiomen will be used during higher flow periods, and Delaware River water will be used during times of low flows. Limerick was selected as the best site for the generating station from a number of suitable locations. Of primary importance, Limerick is a very suitable site considering its location in our electrical transmission system. The 500 K? tower line crosses over the Limerick property. 6. Q: Will PE be using any water allocated to Bucks County or Montgomery County? Will the Counties have to give PE permission to use the water? A: No, to both questions. The DEBC has allocated M> MGD to PE for its use at Limerick. 'Also, DEBC has allocated L$ MGD to Bucks County as its ultimate demand through the pumping station at Point Pleasant. Bucks may sell some portion of its 1$ MGD to Montgomery County users. Bucks has no control over the water use by PE, and the converse is true.

3 Page 3 \ 7. Q: Why is a joint project planned? What's in it for PE? A: PE originally planned to construct a pumping station on the Delaware and a pipeline to the Perkiomen Creek solely for its own use. At the suggestion of the DEBC, a study was done in 1970 to determine the feasibility of a joint project with Bucks County which also planned to construct a water station and pipeline from the Delaware. The study concluded that a joint project with a pumping station at Point Pleasant would result in significant savings to both parties, particularly Bucks County, and that a joint project would have a smaller environmental impact due to the smaller land use involved. 8. Q: Won't Bucks end up paying for PE's water? A: No indeed. PE has always planned to pay its fair share in this water project, not only for the operating costs of the plant, but also for the capital costs involved in the plants construction. Beyond the end of common facilities (Bradshaw Reservoir) PE will pay the total costs as Bucks will not be involved. Obviously, PE will not share in the cost of the facilities to accommodate the County beyond Bradshaw. 9. Q: What is the purpose of Bradshaw Reservoir? A: A joint water intake and pumping station is to be constructed at the Delaware River at Point Pleasant. Prom there a joint use buried pipeline will carry the water to the divide between the Perkiomen and Neshaminy Watersheds. At this point, PE will build a small reservoir (approximately 17 acres) to allow operating flexibility. This is important as from this reservoir water will flow by gravity into the Neshaminy Creek basin for subsequent treatment and use as potable water supply. Water will then be pumped from the reservoir by PE through an eight mile buried pipeline to the East Branch of the Perkiomen,

4 Page k 10. Q: Some people may feel that it makes more sense for PE and Bucks County to each go his own way for water. How about it? A: The Department of Environmental Resources has strongly recommended that the two counties (Bucks and Montgomery) and PE divert the river water via a joint project to keep facilities at a minimum and to benefit by the economies of scale and joint use. 11. Q: Why should Bucks County allow PE, Montgomery County, or anyone else to use its water from the Delaware? A: Bucks County does not have the authority to allocate water, or refuse it, to anyone. The DRBC has the authority and responsibility to allocate Delaware River water which serves the people of the Delaware River Basin, not Bucks residents alone. 12. Q: You stated that Delaware River water would be used during low flows in the Schuylkill (for Limerick). Won't PE pull the Delaware level down during this time? A: Certain conditions accompany the allocation of Delaware River water to PE by the DRBC. The flow of the Delaware is monitored at Trenton Palls, some distance below Point Pleasant. Although 95 MGD is a lot of water, it is but a minor portion of the normal river flow. DRBC conditions prohibit PE from drawing water from the river should the flow at Trenton Palls drop below 3000 cubic feet per second. This is to insure against incroachment of the salt line with the tide from affecting drinking water supplies downstream.

5 Page 13. Q: Should the Delaware flows drop below the level set by DEBC, will'pe shut down Limerick? A: Several answers to the question might apply, according to particular conditions at the time. 1. Complete shut down of the plant. 2. Reduced operating level of the plant (using less water). 3. Continue full plant operation by augmentation of the Delaware River flow from an upstream reservoir. Q: What reservoir? Bradshaw? A: In response to a DRBC recommendation and to insure adequate river flow for our water diversion to the Limerick plant, PE proposes to share in the construction of a reservoir at Merrill Creek - Warren County, New Jersey. The proposed project will be a joint venture by Atlantic City Electric Company, Delmarva Power and Light Company, Jersey Central Power and Light Company, Metropolitan Edison Company, Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, PE Company, and Public Service Electric and Gas Company. All of these companies (and their customers) benefit by the cooling waters of the Delaware for electric generation. River water will be pumped to the Merrill Creek reservoir during periods of high water flow and stored until needed should the Delaware fall below acceptable flows for withdrawal at Point Pleasant. Merrill Creek will cover about 700 acres. Bradshaw Reservoir, discussed in an earlier question, is only about 1? acres in area and is proposed to serve after the water is pumped from Point Pleasant as a site of division of water flow to Bucks County and/or PE.

6 Page Qs Why are other companies in the Merrill Creek project with PE? A: The Delaware Basin's electric utilities operate 16 plants in the area which use the Delaware for cooling water. The DEBC has ordered these utilities to build a reservoir to assure that the river's flow will be adequate (with the augmentation) to allow power plant operation. 16. Q: What will the tax burden be for the Bucks County taxpayer for the PE share of the Point Pleasant project? Of the Merrill Creek project? A: None, to answer both questions. PE will pay its own share of both projects and recover this cost through the rate structure from its customers (those who benefit from the projects). 17. Qi Will the Limerick - Point Pleasant - Merrill Creek project result in rate increases? A: Possibly; construction costs today definitely show increases due to inflation. So, the generating stations being built cost more than old plants. In addition, escalating interest rates have aggravated financing construction. 18. Q: Why must Limerick be nuclear? Aren't they more expensive to build? A: While constructing a nuclear generating station may cost more than a fossil fueled plant, the cost of nuclear fuel is so attractive in comparison that the nuclear plant is cheaper in the long run. Aside from fuel availability considerations, PE made this decision by determining the best method of generating electricity at the least cost to its customers over the life of the facility.

7 Page 7 19* Qs It appears that much of the resistance to the Point Pleasant project stems from resistance to nuclear energy and, in particular, the storage of atomic waste materials. What is PE doing about safe storage for the future? A: PE is waiting for the Federal Government to decide which method is to be used and where (We, also, wish they would hurry.). Congressman Mike McCormack was recently quoted as saying, "Using techniques that have been developed during recent years, the safe permanent storage of radioactive materials is actually a straightforward matter of sound engineering and prudent management.' So, the "know how" is available; we now require the decisions. 20. Q,: When does PE plan to complete the Point Pleasant project? A: Considering present day construction schedules, PE plans to be able to pump water through the system during C. S. Ruddle, Jr. Division Manager May 21, 1979