Safe Recycling

Duke Energy is committed to the safe and economic recycling of coal ash and other coal combustion byproducts (CCBs). CCBs are materials formed when coal is burned to generate electricity. Coal ash is used as a valuable ingredient in a wide range of concrete and cement products. Gypsum, which is produced during the process to lower emissions from coal power plants, is recycled and used in wallboard for the construction industry, as a raw material in the production of cement, or for use as a soil amendment and/or soil stabilizer in agriculture. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extensively studied the safety of using coal ash in concrete and gypsum in wallboard and found that it minimizes CCBs from being released into the environment and meets health-based benchmarks for the protection of human health.

Recycling CCBs produces numerous environmental and economic benefits by:

• Supporting the local economy
• Reducing need for mined virgin materials
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Helping manage costs for customers when compared to disposal
• Improving the strength and durability of construction products

Systemwide, we recycled 1.3 million tons of new (production) ash and stored ash in 2019, vs. 2.1 million tons produced; we also recycled 1.8 million tons of gypsum, vs. 2.2 million tons produced.

We have a dedicated team researching a variety of innovative but practical and cost-effective solutions for using CCBs in ways that will also create jobs and stimulate economic development in the communities we serve. Research is ongoing into potential reuse applications for coal ash, including ash currently stored in basins. We are building three recycling units to reprocess ash excavated from basins at our retired H.F. Lee, Buck and Cape Fear plants to make it suitable for use in concrete. Once these facilities are operational, Duke Energy will have the capacity to recycle more coal ash than we produce in the Carolinas each year. We will continue exploring opportunities to beneficially reuse coal ash as part of our strategy to safely manage CCBs and close ash basins.

Building better structures with recycled coal ash