‘A historic cleanup’: Duke Energy agrees to close all NC coal ash basins

NORTH CAROLINA — After a decade long battle, Duke Energy is shutting down all its coal ash basins in North Carolina, excavating nearly 80 million tons of coal ash.

The Department of Environmental Quality said it will be the largest coal ash cleanup in the nation’s history and referred to it as a “historic cleanup." It also settles various legal disputes between Duke Energy and environmental and community groups.

The department had demanded Duke Energy remove all coal ash by 2030, but Duke Energy argued it would be too expensive and that they would have to pass that cost to customers.

Duke finally agreed to remove coal ash from the Allen Steam Station in Belmont, Belews Creek, Cliffside, Marshall, Mayo and Roxboro sites into on-site lined landfills.

Marshall and Roxboro will be partially excavated because sections of the basins were filled with ash in the past and covered.

“That became usable land so the state allowed us to put new and usable lined landfill facilities right on top of the basin,” Duke spokesperson Paige Sheehan said. “We all decided it did not make sense to excavate that material and the ash underneath it so we agreed to leave it in place, to continue to keep a close eye on it.”

Duke Energy praised the new deal, saying it lowered the cost of moving nearly 80 million tons of coal ash.

Officials said the clean up will now cost around $8-9 billion and take 10 to 15 years to complete.

“What’s great about this agreement is it saves $1.5 billion … but it delivers the same environmental benefits as full excavation,” Sheehan said.

Duke officials said there will be specialized wells and technology at the partially excavated sites to monitor groundwater conditions. . And, each site will have a corrective action plan in place to protect groundwater.

Coal ash had been stored in landfills, in ponds or near waterways for decades. Cleanup became a priority in North Carolina in 2014 after a leak at a Duke Energy site left coal ash coating nearly 70 miles of the Dan River.

Laura Tench lives yards away from Allen Steam Station and is happy about the new deal.

“Now I know that my grandchildren and future people will be safe, safer,” she said.

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Catawba Riverkeeper is one of the groups that has been fighting alongside residents for the cleanup.

“We feel really good about this settlement,” said Catawba Riverkeeper member Brandon Jones. “In addition Duke will be liable for toxins that exceed safe levels at or beyond its boundary or its nearest body of water.”

Duke Energy pleaded guilty in 2015 to federal environmental crimes after an investigation found the company allowed coal ash dumps at five power plants to leak toxic waste into water supplies. The company agreed to pay $102 million in fines and restitution.

In 2018, Duke Energy agreed to pay a $156,000 penalty for similar state environmental violations at three other power plants after pollution entered groundwater and the adjoining Catawba and Broad rivers.

North Carolina regulators are still considering a rate increase from Duke to help pay for caol ash cleanup. They want to raise residential rates by an average of 6.7%.

The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on the closure plans during public meetings in February.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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