Georgia Power is preparing to remove more than two million tons of potentially dangerous coal ash from storage ponds at its former Plant Arkwright site in Macon and then transfer it by road to its decommissioned Plant Branch site in Putnam County, near Lake Sinclair.
The move, expected to involve about 30 dump trucks making daily weekday trips, is expected to take up to six years to complete, due to the sheer volume of material involved, a Georgia Power spokesman told nearby residents of Plant Arkwright during an open-to-the-public informational session in February.
The coal ash movement plan represents part of Georgia Power’s longterm efforts to comply with environmental regulations and reduce potential groundwater contamination, the utility giant said in a released statement.
The Plant Arkwright coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal for electricity from 1941 to 2002, has remained in ponds there since 2010 when the plant closed permanently. Plant Branch closed in 2016 and also maintains several off-limits-to-the-public coal ash ponds.
Under federal rules established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, utilities are required to close or remediate coal ash ponds that may pose risks to groundwater. These regulations have driven cleanup efforts across the country, including Georgia Power’s broader coal ash management program, which is expected to cost approximately $8.5 billion statewide over the next 10 to 15 years.
Revenue generated from recycling the coal ash is expected to help offset some of the costs associated with closing the ponds, though specific amounts have not yet been released.
Coal ash contains toxic metals such as arsenic, lead and mercury. If not properly managed, these substances can leach into groundwater or nearby waterways. Removing the ash from unlined storage ponds and repurposing it in construction materials is intended to mitigate those risks while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional cement production.
Once reaching Plant Branch, the transported coal ash will be recycled for use in concrete and cement production. This method not only reduces the need for new raw materials, it limits environmental impacts by stabilizing coal ash contaminants within hardened structures. Incorporating coal ash into construction materials like this is considered a form of “beneficial reuse.”
Transportation of the ash is scheduled to begin sometime next year, according to Georgia Power. Before it begins, however, the company plans to make several infrastructure improvements at both Plants Arkwright and Branch, such as upgrades to access/departure points and security measures. Georgia Power has emphasized that safety considerations are central to the project, particularly regarding truck traffic entering and exiting both sites.
