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Coal Combustion Residuals Impoundment Reports

Highlights

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As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ongoing national effort to assess the management of coal combustion residuals, EPA is releasing the final contractor reports assessing the structural integrity of impoundments and similar management units containing coal combustion residuals, commonly referred to as “coal ash,” at facilities.  Most of the impoundments have a “high” or “significant” hazard potential rating.  The hazard potential rating is not related to the stability of those impoundments but to the potential for harm should the impoundment fail.  For example, a “significant” hazard potential rating means impoundment failure can cause economic loss, environmental damage, or damage to infrastructure.

EPA has assessed all of the known units with a dam hazard potential rating of “high” or “significant” as reported in the responses provided by electric utilities to EPA's information requests and additional units identified during the field assessments. (EPA has not yet assessed TVA units – these will be done on a separate schedule.) EPA, will release additional reports as they become available. Posted below are the final reports.

The reports being released now have been completed by contractors who are experts in the area of dam integrity, reflect the best professional judgment of the engineering firm, and are signed and stamped by a professional engineer. The reports are based on a visual assessment of the site, interviews with site personnel, and the review of geotechnical reports and studies related to the design, construction and operation of those impoundments, if available.  The engineering firms also reviewed past state/federal inspections of the impoundments.  EPA contractors were not authorized to conduct any physical drilling, coring or sampling while on site; however, they did review studies which may have included such information.  These reports include complex engineering evaluations and use terms which may be unfamiliar to the general public. Also, the contractors were asked to rate the impoundments as “satisfactory,” “fair,” “poor,” or “unsatisfactory,” terms commonly used in the field of dam safety. Expert experience has shown that only impoundments rated as “unsatisfactory” pose immediate safety threats.  None of the impoundments assessed received an “unsatisfactory” rating. Impoundment ratings noted in the reports should be taken in the proper context, since a unit may be found to be structurally sound while it may receive a fair or poor rating based on other factors. 

Draft copies of these reports have been reviewed by the facilities and the states for factual accuracy and their comments on the draft reports have also been posted.  EPA continues to review the reports and the technical recommendations, and is working with the facilities to ensure that the recommendations are implemented.

EPA has provided a copy of the final report to each facility and has requested that the facility implement the recommendations in the reports and provide plans for taking action. Should facilities fail to take sufficient measures, EPA will take additional action, if the circumstances warrant, and will be devoting special attention to those facilities receiving a “poor” rating.

Ratings summary for the assessments:

  First
Round 		Second
Round
Satisfactory
22
31
Fair
15
9
Poor
6
0
Unsatisfactory
0
0
Total number of units
43
40

Note: Progress Energy has withdrawn their claims of confidential business information (CBI). The CBI claims made by Alabama Power Company, Duke Energy Corporation, First Energy Generation Corporation, Georgia Power Company, Gulf Power Company, and Mississippi Power Company are still under deliberation and have yet to be accepted or denied by the EPA. Until these claims are resolved, the agency has redacted (removed) the following information from the coal ash survey results and survey responses from these companies. References to this information has also been removed in the coal ash reports.

CBI Claims
Company that Claims CBI Survey Question(s) Claimed Confidential
Alabama Power Company 5, 6, 7, 8
Duke Energy Corporation 8
First Energy Generation Corporation - Little Blue Run Dam 8
Georgia Power Company 5, 6, 7, 8
Gulf Power Company 5, 8
Mississippi Power Company 5, 6, 7, 8

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