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Permanently closing ash basins

Duke Energy is committed to responsibly managing our coal ash in a safe and sustainable way. The company has taken important steps to strengthen its operations and develop thoroughly researched closure plans.

First and Second Quarter 2019

  • Completed ash basin excavation at three North Carolina facilities: Dan River Steam Station in Eden, Sutton Plant in Wilmington and Riverbend Steam Station in Mount Holly.
  • Began construction of three new coal ash recycling units at three plant sites in North Carolina to reprocess ash for use in the construction industry: Buck in Salisbury, H.F. Lee in Goldsboro and Cape Fear in Moncure. Once the units come online in 2020 and 2021, the company will recycle more ash than it produces each year.
  • Completed ash handling technology upgrades at operating coal plants to take ash basins permanently out of service; all production ash is now being handled dry in lined landfills or being recycled, with no ash going to basins (other than Asheville and Gallagher, which are being retired).
  • Began safe removal of the free water from basins at Allen, Belews Creek, Buck, Cape Fear, Cliffside and Mayo. That removal occurs regardless of whether a basin is excavated or capped and is the most effective step in improving groundwater quality.
  • Completed the long-term monitoring report for the Dan River, which reaffirms that water quality in the river returned to normal in a few days, drinking water always remained safe and continued testing has shown no impact on the river's aquatic life.

Strong Progress through 2018

The scope and scale of the company's work to close 59 basins at 21 plants continues to move forward. Highlights of the progress include:
  • More than 7 million work hours were logged in 2018 by expert teams focused on basin closure, demonstrating the company's commitment to safely managing coal ash.
  • Work to prepare basins for closure is underway across the fleet. By mid-2019, the company will stop sending ash and wastewater to nearly all basins, in advance of state and federal requirements. To accomplish this, the company constructed dry bottom ash handling systems, lined water treatment basins and new lined retention basins at a number of operating coal plants.
  • Ash has been excavated from seven basins at the Asheville Plant (Asheville, N.C.), Rogers Energy Complex (Mooresboro, N.C.), W.S. Lee facility (Belton, S.C.), Cayuga Generating Station (Cayuga, Ind.), Gibson Generating Station (Owensville, Ind.) and Gallagher Generating Station (New Albany, Ind.).
  • In the coming months, excavation will be completed at seven additional basins at the Dan River facility (Eden, N.C.), Riverbend Steam Station (Mount Holly, N.C.), Sutton Energy Complex (Wilmington, N.C.) and East Bend Station (Boone Co., Ky.).
  • Approximately 22 million tons of ash have been excavated since basin closure began in recent years, with more than 5 million tons moved in 2018 alone.
  • A vital step in closure is to remove the free water from the basins, which will happen at both excavated and capped facilities. That process is underway at many locations and is the most effective step in improving groundwater quality. In addition, the company has begun work to determine additional corrective actions to improve groundwater, and it will monitor groundwater for decades to ensure that the environment remains well protected.

Aerial view of Duke Energy
View photos of our progress 

Dan River ash basins after complete excavation

Aerial

Excavation of the two ash basins at the former Dan River Steam Station was completed in May 2019. More than 1.8 million tons of ash were removed from the basins and either recycled via Roanoke Cement or placed in lined landfills.

Completed demolition of Riverbend Steam Station in Mount Holly, N.C.

Aerial

Marshall Steam Station dry bottom ash conversion

Marshall

Crews prepare to close the Marshall ash basin by converting the plant to manage bottom ash dry, where it will go to the lined landfill on site.

Riverbend Steam Station crews excavating ash basin

Riverbend

Crews continue work to excavate ash from the Riverbend primary ash basin for transport by rail to the Brickhaven Mine Structural fill in Chatham County.

Riverbend Steam Station – 2 million tons excavated

Riverbend

Riverbend Station – more than 2 million tons of ash has been excavated to date and safely transported by rail to the fully lined Brickhaven Mine Structural Fill project in Chatham County, N.C.

Riverbend Steam Station rail loading

Riverbend

Coal ash from the Riverbend Steam Station is loaded onto 85-car trains capable of transporting 8,500 tons of ash per train. Cars are capped for transport to the Brickhaven Mine Structural Fill in Chatham County, N.C.

Dan River Steam Station is no more – completely demolished

Dan

The Dan River Steam Station is now completely demolished. The site has been regraded and returned to a grass field.

Dan River Steam Station landfill cell one receiving ash and cell two nearing completion

Dan

Dan River fully lined landfill – cell 1 (right) receiving ash while cell 2 (left) nears completion. Cell 3 (in distance behind cell 2) is being graded and prepared for lining.

Dan River Steam Station – lined landfill cell with additional cell under construction

Dan

Each cell in the fully lined Dan River Station landfill features natural and synthetic barriers, a moisture collection system and extensive groundwater monitoring.

Dan River Steam Station – first load of ash to fully lined on-site landfill – May 31

Dan

The Dan River Steam Station fully lined landfill received its first shipment of ash on May 31, 2017. Prior to the start of landfill operations, 1.3 million tons of ash was safely excavated and transported by rail to a lined landfill in central Virginia.

Sutton Plant – first load of ash to fully lined on-site landfill – July 7

Sutton

After safely transporting 2 million tons of ash by rail to a fully lined structural fill project in Chatham County, crews began delivering ash to a newly completed, fully lined on-site landfill at Sutton Plant on July 7, 2017.

Brickhaven Mine structural fill – completed cell of structural fill

Brickhaven

A completed cell of the Brickhaven Mine structural fill in Chatham County. A final cap and cover soil will be installed as part of work to reclaim the site for future use.

Brickhaven Mine fully lined structural fill

Brickhaven

Around 6 million tons of Duke Energy coal ash will be stored in the Brickhaven Mine structural fill, which is operated by company contractor Charah. More than 4 million tons of ash has already been safely delivered.

Brickhaven Mine – more than 4 million tons of ash has already been safely delivered

Brickhaven

More than 4 million tons of coal ash from the Sutton Plant and Riverbend Station has already been safely delivered and reused as fill material at the Brickhaven Mine structural fill project.

East Bend Station fully lined landfill

East

A new fully lined landfill is receiving ash excavated from the basin at East Bend Station.

Gibson Station excavated ash basin

Gibson

After excavation of ash, clay and soil are moved into the basin.

Gibson Station dry bottom ash system

Gibson

We’re installing new systems to manage ash dry. These systems will collect ash from the boilers and dry it so it can be stored in the on-site landfill.

Cayuga Station lined retention basin

Cayuga

A new concrete-lined retention basin was constructed to collect process waters. This is an essential step in safely closing ash basins at the site.

Asheville Plant completed ash basin excavation

Asheville

In 2016, we completed the excavation of the 1982 ash basin. The area will be used for the new combined-cycle natural gas plant.

Rogers Energy Complex ash basin excavation

Rogers

In 2017, we completed the excavation of an ash basin and the site.

W.S. Lee Steam Station coal ash transportation

WSLee

Since 2015, we been excavating and relocating coal ash to an off-site fully lined landfill.

Roxboro Plant dry fly ash silo

Roxboro

We’re completing major conversion projects to manage all ash dry in a landfill that is already utilized at the site. The Roxboro Plant continues to be an important energy source that powers our customers’ lives and communities.

Mayo Plant new lined retention basin

Mayo

We’re constructing a new, lined retention basin to manage water at the Mayo Plant. The plant continues to be an important energy source that powers our customers’ lives and communities.

  • Third and Fourth Quarter 2018

    • Completed two implosions to demolish the retired Buck Steam Station in Salisbury, N.C., as we move to cleaner energy sources. The first implosion was successfully completed in August, and then the remainder of the facility was imploded in October. The site is now home to a highly efficient natural gas plant.
    • Completed demolition of Riverbend Steam Station in Mount Holly, N.C., and site grading is expected to conclude by the end of the year.
    • Ash basins across the system, particularly near the North Carolina coast, weathered hurricanes Florence and Michael very well, thanks to planning and aggressive work to safely close coal ash basins.  
    • Strong progress was made to safely close the east ash pond at our Gibson plant in Indiana by safely capping the facility.  
    • Completed installation of permanent water supplies to North Carolina plant neighbors, giving them peace of mind in their future water supply and preserving the full range of basin closure options, benefiting all customers.

    Second Quarter 2018

    • Completed permanent water supply projects for plant neighbors around the Cape Fear, H.F. Lee and Allen facilities and are more than 80 percent complete with projects across the state.
    • Completed the transition to dry bottom ash handling technology at the Belews Creek and Cliffside sites, meaning all ash there is now being managed in on-site, lined landfills.
    • Secured the necessary permits from state regulators to build a new coal ash recycling unit at the Buck plant in Salisbury. This is the first of three units to be constructed in North Carolina to reprocess coal ash for use in the construction industry. Already the company is recycling 70 percent of the ash it is producing.
    • Completed mechanical demolition of the retired Riverbend facility near Charlotte as part of ongoing work to modernize the energy mix that serves customers.   
    • Shared this Lake Norman fact sheet with members of the community to address questions related to ash operations and lake water quality.

    First Quarter 2018

    • Through May 2018, the company has excavated nearly 18 million tons of coal ash, relocating the material to lined storage or to be recycled for use in the construction industry. Work continues at four sites to permanently close ash basins through excavation.
    • Continued strong efforts to recycle coal ash. For example, across the fleet in 2017, about 70 percent of the ash generated in the production of electricity was reused.
    • Engineering and planning continue to safely close all of the company’s ash basins. Projects that will allow us to manage all ash dry will be completed by the end of this year. In addition, work continues on lined retention basins to redirect water flows at operating plant sites.   
    • Demolition work is ongoing at a number of older, retired coal plants including Riverbend near Charlotte, which was featured in this report by WFAE.
    • Early 2018 saw an increase in visible activity related to the installation of permanent new water supplies for plant neighbors across the Carolinas. Work crews have been active in every eligible neighborhood installing new water lines or robust water filter systems.   

  • Fourth Quarter 2017

    • Continue to excavate ash from the Asheville Plant (Asheville, N.C.), Dan River Steam Station (Eden, N.C.), Riverbend Steam Station (Mount Holly, N.C.) and Sutton Plant (Wilmington, N.C.) to fully lined, permanent solutions.
    • Preparation work continues for ash basin closure in the Midwest and Carolinas. This includes conversion projects that will allow us to manage all ash dry and the construction of new, lined retention basins to redirect water flows at operating plant sites. 
    • Continue installing permanent water solutions for North Carolina plant neighbors. This includes new water main and service line connections in some communities and whole-home water treatment systems in others.
    • Continue retired coal-fired plant decommissioning and demolition projects at sites in the Carolinas and Midwest.
    • Completed ash excavation project at W.S. Lee Station (Belton, S.C.) to a fully lined, permanent solution.

    Third Quarter 2017

    • Began permitting process for the ash reprocessing units at the Buck and H.F. Lee sites. Each unit will reprocess about 300,000 tons of ash annually to make it suitable for use in concrete products. Planning continues for the third unit at the Cape Fear site.
    • Hosted community information session for Buck site reprocessing unit.
    • Announced a new coal ash recycling project at the Weatherspoon site in Lumberton, N.C. The ash will be sent to cement kilns in South Carolina. This is an update to previous plans, which were to use the Weatherspoon ash in structural fills.
    • Began installing permanent water solutions for North Carolina plant neighbors. This includes new water main and service line connections in some communities and whole-home water treatment systems in others.

    Second Quarter 2017

    First Quarter 2017

    • Hosted information sessions for our North Carolina plant neighbors to learn more about permanent water plans. 
    • Received preliminary approval from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) of its plans to offer new, permanent water supplies to eligible neighbors near its North Carolina coal plants.

  • Fourth Quarter

    • In 2016 alone, we safely moved over 5 million tons of coal ash to permanent solutions.
    • Continue to excavate ash from the Asheville Plant (Asheville, N.C.), Rogers Energy Complex (Mooresboro, N.C.), Dan River Steam Station (Eden, N.C.), Riverbend Steam Station (Mount Holly, N.C.), Sutton Plant (Wilmington, N.C.) and W.S. Lee Steam Station (Belton, S.C.) to fully lined, permanent solutions.
    • Announced plans to excavate coal ash from four basins at the H.F. Lee Plant in Goldsboro, N.C., and safely recycle the valuable material for use in concrete products.
    • Announced community-specific recommendations to offer new, permanent drinking water supplies and financial supplements to neighbors near its coal ash basins in North Carolina.
    • Made a $1 million investment in the Cape Fear, N.C., region to promote the ongoing quality and health of public waterways in the area.
    • Posted proposed closure plans for 36 ash basins that are regulated by the federal Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule.
    • On-site landfill construction underway at Sutton Plant and Dan River Steam Station after receiving necessary permits from the state to begin.
    • Implosion events to continue decommissioning work at the retired Sutton Plant and Dan River Station mark new milestones in Duke Energy's campaign to replace older, less-efficient plants with cleaner energy.
    • Announced plans to remove coal ash from three basins at the Buck Steam Station and safely recycle the valuable material for concrete.

    Third Quarter

    • Crews at Riverbend Station have safely moved 100 trains, or more than 850,000 tons of coal ash to a fully lined structural fill at the Brickhaven Mine in Chatham County, N.C. Using trains to move coal ash has kept more than 47,000 trucks off of local roads and highways.
    • Crews at Dan River have safely moved 100 trains, or more than 500,000 tons of coal ash to a fully lined landfill in Amelia County, Va. Using trains to move coal ash has kept more than 27,500 trucks off of local roads and highways.
    • Crews at Sutton Plant have safely moved 100 trains, or more than 750,000 tons of coal ash to a fully lined structural fill at the Brickhaven Mine in Chatham County, N.C. Using trains to move coal ash has kept more than 40,000 trucks off of local roads and highways.
    • Passage of House Bill 630 provides practical solutions to protect the public and the environment, while preserving the flexibility to safely close ash basins in ways that also protect our customers. We are working to meet the requirements of this new law, including providing permanent water solutions to plant neighbors.

    Second Quarter

    First Quarter

    • Began transporting coal ash from our Asheville Plant to the fully lined Cliffside landfill in Mooresboro, N.C.
    • Began the dewatering process at Riverbend Steam Station, which will allow us to safely close the basin.
    • Completed rail systems and began transporting coal ash by rail from Riverbend Steam Station and Sutton Plant to Brickhaven Mine

  • Fourth Quarter

    • Announced proposed on-site landfill to manage remaining coal ash at W.S. Lee Steam Station in Belton, S.C.
    • Started excavation project at Dan River Steam Station to remove coal ash by train and deliver to a fully lined landfill in Amelia County, Va.
    • Began excavating coal ash at the Sutton Plant to the final storage solution at Brickhaven Mine in Chatham Co., N.C., a beneficial reuse project.
    • Started delivering coal ash to the Brickhaven Mine in Chatham County, an engineered structural fill constructed to reclaim an existing clay mine on the site. Watch the video.
    • Began excavating coal ash from an inactive basin at Cliffside Steam Station (Rogers Energy Complex) to an existing on-site landfill, with minimal impact to the neighbors.
    • Imploded the historic Cliffside powerhouse as part of Duke Energy’s modernization effort.

    Third Quarter

    • Finalized a comprehensive $7 million settlement with NCDEQ (formerly NCDENR) that resolves former, current and future groundwater issues at all 14 North Carolina coal facilities, including the retired Sutton plant.
    • North Carolina regulators tested private wells near coal ash basins and wells that are far enough removed from the basins to be unaffected by them. The results show constituents found in private well samples occur naturally at various levels across the state.
    • Submitted comprehensive groundwater assessments to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) for each of the 14 coal plants in the state.
    • Announced that the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will conduct a comprehensive study of the coal ash recycling market and available technologies.
    • Announced demolition plan for retired stacks at Sutton Plant (Wilmington, N.C.).
    • Received the draft wastewater and stormwater permits for Sutton Plant (Wilmington, N.C.) and other facilities in the Carolinas.

      Second Quarter

      • Recommended excavating five basins at the Cape Fear Plant (Moncure, N.C.), five basins at H.F. Lee Plant (Goldsboro, N.C.), one basin at W.H. Weatherspoon Plant (Lumberton, N.C.), and one inactive basin at the Cliffside Steam Station (Mooresboro, N.C.). Read more.
      • North Carolina regulators issued necessary permits to Charah Inc., a vendor engaged in closing ash basins, and its subsidiary, Green Meadow LLC, for structural fill projects at clay mines in Lee and Chatham counties in North Carolina.
      • Began coal ash excavation at Riverbend Steam Station (Mount Holly, N.C.) to a fully lined landfill.
      • Announced plans to retire the coal-fired Asheville Plant (Asheville, N.C.) in four to five years and modernize our generation and transmission system in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina – significantly reducing environmental impacts, improving system reliability and minimizing long-term costs to customers. Read more
      • Began first phase of excavation at W.S. Lee Steam Station (Belton, S.C.), relocating about 1.4 million tons of ash from the inactive ash basin and an ash fill area to a lined landfill in Homer, Ga.
      • North Carolina regulators issued the final industrial stormwater permits for the Allen (Belmont, N.C.), Marshall (Terrell, N.C.) and Riverbend (Mount Holly, N.C.) stations.
      • Announced coal ash from the Robinson Plant (Hartsville, S.C.) will be excavated and relocated to an on-site, lined landfill, completing the comprehensive strategy for the two South Carolina coal facilities. Read more
      • Announced plans to build fully lined on-site landfills at the Dan River Steam Station (Eden, N.C.) and the Sutton Plant (Wilmington, N.C.).

        First Quarter

        • Research from universities, regulators and industry experts increasingly demonstrate that the Dan River is in good condition one year after a coal ash spill at the Dan River Steam Station.

      • Fourth Quarter

        • Submitted filings to state regulators outlining additional ash excavation plans for W.S. Lee Steam Station in Belton, S.C.
        • Submitted detailed coal ash excavation plans to the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) for ash stored at the high-priority Asheville Steam Electric Plant (Asheville, N.C.), Dan River Steam Station (Eden, N.C.), Riverbend Steam Station (Mount Holly, N.C.) and L.V. Sutton Steam Electric Plant (Wilmington, N.C.) facilities. Read more.
        • Announced plans to enhance coal ash management operations with the creation of a national panel of independent experts to help guide the company’s strategy around permanent coal ash storage solutions and a new, centralized internal organization to manage all coal combustion products, including coal ash.

          Third Quarter

          • Announced the creation of a $10 million Water Resources Fund to benefit waterways across North Carolina and South Carolina. The fund can also be used to improve waterways downstream from Duke Energy operations that flow into neighboring states.
          • Announced plans to excavate a portion of coal ash at the W.S. Lee Steam Station (Belton, S.C.), while continuing engineering work on the rest of the site. Read more.
          • Completed cleanup work along the Dan River just upstream of the Schoolfield Dam in Danville, Va., under the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

            Second Quarter

            • Completed ash basin-related pipe inspections at North Carolina coal plants and shared those results with NCDENR.

            First Quarter

            • Dan River water quality returned to normal and drinking water remained safe. Read more.
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