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Greenfield Power Plants Drive Municipal Wastewater Reuse In addition to on-site reuse utilizing ZLD treatment solutions, power plants are increasingly turning to reclaimed municipal water for a drought-proof water supply and associated cost savings. New plants, whose cost structures allow innovative water solutions more than retrofits, are expected to tap into municipal wastewater for drought-resistant water supplies. Currently, 26 percent of the new capacity is proposed in four water-stressed states — Texas, California, Arizona, and Florida — where utilities and independent power producers are already under pressure to more heavily weight water supply risks to operations. Currently, 67 U.S. power plants utilize reclaimed wastewater from municipal wastewater sources, which is expected to rise. For example, Covanta recently installed GE's water reuse technology at the 90-MW Delaware Valley waste- to-energy facility. Elsewhere, the Turkey Point nuclear power plant in Florida has signed an agreement with Miami-Dade to utilize up to 340,000 m 3 /day of reclaimed water for cooling tower use at the expanded facility. The agreement will provide cost savings to plant owner Florida Power and Light (FPL) in the form of lower water rates and will help Miami-Dade preserve its stressed potable water supplies. Panda's Water Strategy Highlights Range Of U.S. Drivers Panda Power Funds' recent progress toward the second of two new gas-fired power plants in the Chesapeake Bay basin highlights the focus on reuse strategies, including ZLD. Panda's proposed Mattawoman Power Project in Brandywine, MD is an 859-MW combined-cycle generating station planned for commissioning in 2017. While Mattawoman awaits public comment, the 778-MW Stonewall project in Virginia is under construction and planned for 2017. Both of Panda's plants will employ innovative water management strategies for water supply and wastewater management. They will use municipal reclaimed water for supplies and install ZLD systems to treat produced wastewater and recycle it on site. The Stonewall plant will use reclaimed wastewater from Leesburg, VA for cooling water, while the Mattawoman plant will draw reclaimed water from the Piscataway Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Accokeek, MD. The growing influence of regulations surrounding the Chesapeake Bay region is also impacting power development in seven Mid-Atlantic states. Signed in June 2014, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement has compelled Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to address water quality, including industry impacts on the basin. Not exclusive to power, industrial development in the region going forward will be forced to meet tighter nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) limits. Competitive Landscape For ZLD Solutions Dominated By Three Key Players While GE, Veolia, and Aquatech have deployed the large majority (99 percent) of U.S. systems, new capacity additions, particularly in water-stressed regions (e.g., Western U.S. states), is driving greater competition. Companies deploying membrane treatment technologies — ultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO), and evaporators to concentrate plant brines — are best positioned to move into this market. An increasing number of ZLD solutions providers, both domestic and foreign, are looking to break into this market as power plants increasingly embrace innovative water management strategies. n wateronline.com n Water Innovations ZEROLIQUIDDISCHARGE Erin Bonney Casey is a senior analyst in Bluefield's Advanced Water Treatment and Desalination practice. Erin is on the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation's Project Advisory Committee on Current Use and Trends of Reuse in the Hydraulic Fracturing Industry. Prior to joining Bluefield, Erin worked at Brown Brothers Harriman as a business analyst. She also has international experi- ence with Grameen Research, focusing on Latin American econo- mies and tax laws. Erin has a BA from Bates College and a Masters from Oxford University in Water Science Policy and Management. Erin is based in Bluefield's Boston office. About The Author The power sector is increasingly looking to ZLD systems to meet regulatory challenges and reduce water use in water-stressed areas. 32 Power Sector Advanced Water Treatment Technology Adoption