A view from partly under the ocean near the seawater cooling intake pipe of the Huntington Beach power plant. California‘s coastal power plants are facing a new policy that would force them to stop sucking in seawater for cooling purposes. Power companies say the change is too expensive, but environmentalists say the plants are killing fish and larvae. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A California sea lion swims in the fish return system. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Fish swim in the fish-return system, or fish elevator, which takes fish that have been caught in the seawater intake pipe and returns them to the ocean. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
David Kay, manager of environmental projects, explains how the cooling system operates at the San Onofre nuclear plant. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Matt Kalynchuk of Lethbridge, Canada, comes in from surfing near the San Onofre nuclear power plant. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Exhaust exits a smokestack at the Huntington Beach power plant. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
