Water cooling is required for the operation of the power plant. Both of the new construction blocks are designed to use circulating cooling water. The cooling water is taken from a water cooling intake structure on the River Danube. After it is cleaned it is fed by water cooling pumps through the condenser of the steam turbines and then back into the river via a water cooling outlet structure. E.ON Kraftwerke undertakes extensive measures to ensure that no damage is caused to the flora and fauna during this process. Some of these measures include the installation of a state-of-the-art fish deterrent system on the water cooling intake structure, a substantial reduction in the water cooling warming period as with relation to the current situation, the reactivation of the to-date unneeded cooling towers assigned to power plants Ingolstadt 4 and Irsching 3 every time all of the power plants are operating in order to further minimize thermal contamination of the River Danube.
In addition, seasonal thresholds are maintained with respect to the needs of fish. To verify the effectiveness of all these measures E.ON Kraftwerke is authorizing, in cooperation with the local authorities, an independent institute to conduct a long-term monitoring program. This will ensure that no irreversible damage to the flora and fauna can occur through the operation of the power plant.