Cliffside Steam Station
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold a series of public information sessions near six coal ash facilities across North Carolina where communities can learn about options for closing coal ash impoundments. The Department is seeking public comment on considerations for making a closure decision on the Cliffside facility as well as the priority of different considerations.
The meeting for Cliffside will be held January 22nd and will offer question and answer tables about specific topics relating to environmental and public health considerations, and the opportunity for community members to express their views about proposed criteria to guide DEQ’s coal ash closure decision making process.
Information regarding preliminary closure options proposed by Duke Energy:
- This summary report (Report) presents the Closure Options evaluation for the ash basin located at Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC’s (Duke Energy’s) Cliffside Steam Station, located in Cleveland County, North Carolina. The Closure Options evaluation involved developing ash basin closure strategies and evaluating these options relative to one another to determine which option to advance to more detailed engineering and closure plan development. The strategies discussed in the Closure Options evaluation are representative of the range of possible approaches for basin closure, and do not constitute final closure plans as described in N.C. Gen. Stat. sec. 130A-309.214(a)(4). Final closure plans will be submitted in 2019, as required by law, supported by detailed engineering designs and any necessary updates to groundwater modeling and related analysis.
- Duke Energy has evaluated three representative types of closure for the ash basin at Cliffside Steam Station. The report examines how the local community’s environmental health and environmental services are differently affected by each closure option and to evaluates these differences in a structured framework that can support decision-making in this matter. The administrative process for selecting an appropriate closure plan for the ash basin is ongoing.
Duke Energy Carolina, LLC, Preliminary Updated Groundwater Flow and Transport Modeling Report
- Preliminary numerical simulations of groundwater flow and transport have been calibrated to current conditions and used to evaluate different scenarios being considered as options for closure of the ash basin. The predictive simulations presented herein are not intended to represent a final detailed closure design. These simulations use conceptual designs that are subject to change as the closure plans are finalized. The simulations are intended to show the key characteristics of groundwater flow and mobile constituent transport that are expected to result from the closure actions. This preliminary model report is intended to provide basic model development information and simulations of conceptual basin closure designs. A more detailed model report is planned for inclusion in the groundwater corrective action plan (CAP) scheduled for completion in December 2019.
Information regarding Coal Ash Management Act requirement for alternative water supply:
- Cliffside Proposed Permanent Water Solution
- DEQ acknowledgement of completion of Permanent Alternative Water Supply Requirements
Mailbox to submit public comment on closure options: Rogerscomments@ncdenr.gov