Review of Power Plant Cooling System Ordered

A Monterey County judge has ordered state water officials to re-examine the cooling system at Duke Energy’s newly renovated Moss Landing power plant.

Judge Robert O’Farrell said state water officials failed to make a comprehensive review of cooling alternatives before allowing the power plant to cycle 1.2 billion gallons of seawater daily. Environmentalists say that process kills a substantial number of fish larvae and declared the decision a victory.

North Carolina-based Duke and state officials say other, pricier, alternatives were examined before Duke agreed to pay $7 million for an environmental enhancement program for the slough.