F), the condensing temperature and, hence, the turbine exhaust pressure at Blythe will be lower

than at Long Beach. The temperature duration curves demonstrate the temperature difference
between Blythe and Long Beach is less than 19 °F for almost 8,000 hours per year. Therefore,
the steam turbine penalty at Blythe is less than it is at Long Beach, except for those hours when
the temperature at Blythe exceeds 100 °F.

Figure 34: Steam Turbine Performance Penalty—All Systems, All Sites

Source: Maulbetsch Consulting

Figure 35 represents the sum of the power requirements and the turbine output penalty, which
is the total reduction in steam turbine energy output from its ideal operating condition of 2
“Hga for the entire year.

Figure 35: Steam Turbine Output Reduction—All Systems, All Sites

Source: Maulbetsch Consulting

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The annualized cooling system cost is defined as the initial installed cost amortized at 7% plus
the total annual reduction in turbine output evaluated at $70/MWh. The annualized cost is
plotted in Figure 36. The annualized cost of each cooling systems is reasonably similar at each
site with the exception of Blythe which, because of the long duration of very high ambient
temperatures, incurs higher costs for the two “driest” hybrid systems. Again, with the exception
of Blythe, the annualized costs of the three hybrid systems are all quite close.

Figure 36: Cooling System Annualized Cost—All Systems, All Sites

Source: Maulbetsch Consulting

The water consumption and water savings for the several cooling systems are displayed in
different ways in Figures 30, 31, and 32. Figure 37 shows the annual water consumption of each
system in kgal per year. The amount of water consumed in the all-wet cooling systems is nearly
the same (approximately 572,000 kgal/yr) at Sacramento and Long Beach and significantly more
(approximately 647,000 kgal/yr) at Blythe. Bakersfield and Redding consume intermediate
amounts.

The high evaporation rate at Blythe results from the fact that the inlet ambient air is very hot
and dry. As a result, the air stream is actually cooled as it passes through the cooling tower.
Therefore, the sensible contribution to the heat load is negative, whereas at more typical
ambient conditions it can account for 10% or more of the total heat load. At Blythe, additional
water must be evaporated to carry not only the imposed heat load from the condenser but the
additional load from cooling the air.

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