Dive Brief:
- Duke Energy will move coal ash from three basins at the Buck Steam Station in Salisbury, N.C., and recycle some of the material for concrete.
- The utility announced the plan this week, putting it ahead of a schedule set by North Carolina lawmakers.
- The coal ash removal will address the issues in a federal citizen lawsuit brought by the Southern Environmental Law Center, and Duke said the two sides would be filing to dismiss the case.
Dive Insight:
North Carolina's coal ash law allows Duke Energy until 2029 to complete its site clean-ups, but the utility is working to stay ahead of that deadline.
"This important step forward provides certainty for neighbors about our closure plans and allows us to recycle more coal ash to benefit our customers and North Carolina's economy," said David Fountain, president of Duke's North Carolina operations.
State law requires Duke to install three recycling units to avoid permanent disposal of the waste. While much of the ash stored in basins has too much carbon to be used in concrete products, Duke said it is making "additional, significant investments" in technology designed to reprocess the ash. More than half of the concrete produced in the United States contains coal ash
Locations for the second and third units are still being evaluated, and the utility will make a decision in the next months. Duke will also work with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to acquire necessary permits and begin processing material.
The recycling plan will also address concerns in a lawsuit brought by the Southern Environmental Law Center, alleging violations of the Clean Water Act, and Duke said filings to dismiss the case would be forthcoming.
Duke has been dealing with issues surrounding its coal ash ponds since a pipe rupture in 2014 dumped waste into the Dan River. In 2015, the company pled guilty to nine misdemeanor federal violations of the Clean Water Act committed by three subsidiaries in the spill, and paid $102 million in fines and penalties.
Last month, Duke and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality reached a settlement calling for the utility to pay a $6 million fine related to the spill.
