By Tatiana Prophet
Daily Press
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — The best way to deal with a hazardous materials emergency is to stage one ahead of time.
On Wednesday, the Victorville Fire Department teamed up with Tenaska Energy, owner of the High Desert Power Project at Southern California Logistics Airport, to simulate an aqueous ammonia spill.
The scenario goes something like this: After delivery of the chemical, the valve was not closed properly and the ammonia spilled into a sump designed to catch it.
One employee who entered the area was supposed to have been injured, said Jon Boyer, senior environmental scientist with the Omaha-based Tenaska. The firefighters were being trained to clean up the spill and aid victims.
"This is good training for the guys because they actually have the tanker there," said Fire Chief John Becker. "The chemical company let us use the vehicle."
Aqueous ammonia is used to reduce nitrous-oxide emissions at the plant. It generally reduces those emissions by about 90 percent, Boyer said.
Ammonia vapor is highly irritating to the eyes and upper respiratory tract. Upper airway obstruction, bronchospasm and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur.
If skin contact is prolonged (more than a few minutes), ammmonia causes severe burning pain and corrosive injury.
The High Desert Power Project has a capacity of 830 megawatts and generates power through a combined-cycle natural gas process.
Tenaska bought the plant in 2006 from Baltimore-based Constellation Energy.
Right now the cooling towers use untreated water from the California Aqueduct, and there are plans to possibly use reclaimed water there in the future.
Copyright 2007 Daily Press
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
