[M II A II R II K]

San Onofre wave farm idea churns up concerns


March 30, 2011

By Tony Barboza

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,2422377.story

The waves off San Onofre have for generations beckoned surfers and sport fishermen to a wild stretch of coastline in the shadow of domed nuclear reactors. Now, an Orange County entrepreneur wants to tap the power of that legendary surf in a novel but highly controversial plan to build one of the nation's first hydrokinetic wave farms. Federal energy regulators have given JD Products of Fountain Valley permission to begin a three-year study looking at the feasibility of installing thousands of ocean wave electricity generators a mile off San Onofre State Beach. The firm's general manager, Chong Hun Kim, said he chose the site because it is close to transmission lines that serve the San Onofre nuclear power plant. Kim said he hopes to connect offshore generators to the power grid through underwater cables and sell power to the plant's operator, Southern California Edison.

The idea would be to connect the wave farm to San Onofre's transmission lines without going through the nuclear power plant, which has been under added scrutiny in light of Japan's massive tsunami and radiation crisis. To surfers, conservationists and fishing groups that fiercely protect San Onofre as one of the California coast's natural treasures, Kim's idea is a half-baked proposal that has so far ignored potential impacts on wildlife, surf patterns and even training exercises at the nearby Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Environmental groups, which are broadly supportive of renewable energy projects, said putting the devices in the waters of San Onofre could harm marine life and potentially mar the view from the coastline. Surfers are worried it would dampen waves and alter seafloor terrain along a stretch of coast famed for its surf breaks. Sport-fishing groups said a wave farm could block off favored waters for sand bass, bonito and barracuda fishing. "It seems like a silly idea," said Michael Hansen, owner of Dana Wharf Sportfishing. "It would pretty much shut down a huge area of productive fishing. If it did go in, it would bum us out."

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A dog and its owner play on San Onofre State Beach. Several wave energy projects have been proposed off the California coast, but most have faltered. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)