FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A downtown Fairbanks power plant is seeking a water discharge permit to release warmer water into the Chena River during the summer.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Thursday that the Chena Power Plant uses the river's cold water to cool machinery. The new permit seeks to increase the temperature of the discharged water from a daily maximum of 87.3 degrees to 95 degrees.
The discharge keeps a mile-long section of the river from freezing, which is unpopular with skiers and people who use snow machines because they can't travel over the section of river.
Dave Fish, environmental manager for the plant, says the plant's been running at less-than-full capacity during summers because of the temperature limits.
A public hearing on the permit was scheduled for Thursday night.
