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<br />Northern States Power, CUP <br />January 18, 1994 <br /> <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />---------------- <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />issues warrant changes to roads or the operation of NSP's plant <br />at this time. <br /> <br />GROUND WATER <br /> <br />The City requires that NSP test run-off from their facility <br />three times during the year after a rain fall (spring, summer, <br />and fall). These samplings have shown no exceedences in <br />standards. However, the Department of Health has raised a <br />concern with the lead level in NSP's potable water supply. <br />Staff believes this problem is caused by NSP's plumbing and not <br />ground water contamination. We will follow-up with NSP to the <br />conclusion of this issue. <br /> <br />FENWAL SYSTEM <br /> <br />The NSP processing plant grinds municipal solid waster inside <br />of bunkers to produce RDF. The nature of this process can <br />cause. explosions because of improper waste contained in the <br />waste stream. To counteract these explosions, the bunkers are <br />armed with a Fenwal System. This system instantly reacts to an <br />explosion with a counter explosion. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />NSP has had ten Fenwal System discharges this year. The Fenwal <br />System did its job and reduced the damage due to these <br />explosions and kept subsequent fires to a m1n1mum. Although <br />this seems like a high number of incidences, staff does not <br />view it as ~ problem, but rather, that this extremely sensitive <br />system is doing its job. The NSP plant is also diked so that <br />any fire suppression water that may be produced is contained <br />within the building. <br /> <br />Because of the concern with CFC's, NSP has switch from a halon <br />to a sodium bicarbonate Fenwal System. <br /> <br />SPOT CHECKS <br /> <br />The real key to reducing the number of explosions at the plant <br />is to keep improper items out of the waste stream. Staff has <br />inspected the NSP plant several times in the past year. Staff <br />has checked the work of the grapple operator who removes <br />improper waste prior to processing and the NSP employees who <br />periodically spot check loads of waste as they are being <br />delivered. The City's license requires that these spot checks <br />be done and if possible, the generator of improper waste is <br />identified and prosecuted. Staff wants to stress that NSP <br />needs to keep up with these spot checks. <br /> <br />DUST COLLECTION SYSTEM <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />The grinding of waste into RDF can produce large amounts of <br />dust. NSP has a dust collection system that filters this <br />dust. In the last year, NSP has modified this system by <br />removing every other filter. They indicated this was necessary <br />