The state environmental department has issued violations against Duke Energy for allowing wastewater to leak from coal ash basins at twelve facilities. Today’s action is another step taken by the McCrory administration to force Duke to comply with environmental rules and clean up the decades-old coal ash problem.
Environmental regulators are reviewing additional scientific data and may issue more violations if they find that water quality standards are not being met. The violation notice requires Duke Energy to take corrective action and submit more information to the state environmental department. The utility has 30 days to respond to the violations and provide the data. The department may also fine Duke for violating its wastewater permits. Wastewater is treated coal ash water that leaks from ponds and reaches nearby bodies of water.
The violations were issued for unauthorized discharges of wastewater at Duke Energy’s Allen Steam Station, Asheville Steam Station, Belews Creek Steam Station, Buck Steam Station, Cape Fear Steam Electric Generating Plant, Cliffside Steam Station, Dan River Combined Cycle Plant, Lee Steam Electric Plant, Marshall Steam Station, Mayo Steam Electric Power Plant, Roxboro Steam Electric Plant and Weatherspoon Steam Electric Plant.
The department also issued a violation for unauthorized discharges at its Riverbend facility that occurred prior to a permit being effective March 1, 2016. The Sutton facility was not issued a violation because there were no unauthorized discharges were found there.
The violation notices are available here.