Steam Plant Stacks

[Dakota]

When is it determined when the 2 GSP stacks are on and kickin? Does it have anything to do with air temp??

Thanks
Dakota

[Travis C.]

I don't think so. People used to say if both stacks are pumping the fishing is better but I don't even think that is necessarily true either.

[old sailor]

I feel like it depends on amount of power they have requests for. I used to fish it a lot for several years till the crowds got to me. At times there is more current than others . My rockfishing sucess depended on amount of folks running motors in there . Big rocks generally won't tolerate it . Always liked the heavier current . Regards

[tkwalker]

Just so happens That I know a little about the plant ... I worked there 13 years until 1984... I have over 200 trips up the stacks to maintain the EPA instrumentation located there ... Now in the past 24 years somethings may have changed ...

There are four Westinghouse Steam Turbines, the Northside stack is the outlet for the boilers that provides the steam (2ea. 275 Mega Watt Generators) ... The southside does the same for (2ea 312 Mega Watt Generators) ... What appears to be smoke is actually condensate if everything is working correctly like the electrostatic percipitators..... When things aren't, like boilers going on pressure, etc ... Completely different ball game ...

Usually it is rare that turbins are taken off line in the winter time ... Most of their repair outages for Turbine and boilers are done in the Spring and fall. Now things may have changed ... If you actually see nothing coming from the stacks we have an extra good generating day with all the right combinations of air and fuel and weather and load requirements, or they are off ... If you see a stack producing a more darker opacity at the exit ... may be having problems ... But when i was there you could always see some type of discharge from a stack if it was on line.

To answer your question If gens are off line the discharge water temp and volume will be less in the canal ... All of this is proportional to the units running ... Hope this helps <'TK><

[Dakota]

Thanks guys, great info TK. TK do you think the fishing is better when the stacks are running?? Or no affect at all on fishing??

Dakota

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Thanks guys, great info TK. TK do you think the fishing is better when the stacks are running?? Or no affect at all on fishing??

Dakota

The whole mystic of the Steam Plant (why it is so good for fishing !!!) warm water ... when I worked there and being in instrumentation, with all 4 gens pumping at almost full capacity in the winter ... The temp flume in the water was on the average 12 deg's warmer from the canel to 109 bridge ...

What does temp mean to the average game fish (being cold blooded) Nothing ... What does it mean to the bait fish ... 'Like a Caribbean Cruise !! Wonderful ... Most species of shad and skippies love it ... Thus ... wa la ... Bait fish will be there ... So will the stripers, bass, Sauger, walleye, etc to munch on an afternoon or morning delight ... .... <'TK><

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by tkwalker

The whole mystic of the Steam Plant (why it is so good for fishing !!!) warm water ... when I worked there and being in instrumentation, with all 4 gens pumping at almost full capacity in the winter ... The temp flume in the water was on the average 12 deg's warmer from the canel to 109 bridge ...

What does temp mean to the average game fish (being cold blooded) Nothing ... What does it mean to the bait fish ... 'Like a Caribbean Cruise !! Wonderful ... Most species of shad and skippies love it ... Thus ... wa la ... Bait fish will be there ... So will the stripers, bass, Sauger, walleye, etc to munch on an afternoon or morning delight ... .... <'TK><

That's what I figured. Was curiuos about the operation of the GSP.