Dewatering process for Plant McIntosh to begin in October, Georgia Power says

Georgia Power said Tuesday that the dewatering process for Plant McIntosh in Rincon, Ga., is scheduled to begin in October, marking a significant step toward the closure of the ash pond at the plant.

The ash pond will be completely excavated, and the ash will be stored in a permitted, lined landfill on plant property.

“As we begin the dewatering process at Plant McIntosh, we are pleased with the progress we have made on our ash pond closures at all of our plants,” Dr. Mark Berry, vice president of Environmental and Natural Resources for Georgia Power, said. “We continue to focus on safety and meeting all compliance requirements throughout the process to fulfill our longstanding commitment to protect the environment and local communities. We have invested in water treatment systems to help ensure that our dewatering process is protective of the Savannah River. Throughout the process, clear communication to our customers and the community about our progress remains a priority.”

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has approved the ash pond dewatering plan for Plant McIntosh. The planned on-site closure methods are being permitted and regulated by the EPD.

Georgia Power first announced plans to permanently close all of its ash ponds in September 2015 and released initial plans in June 2016. The company is in the process of completely excavating 19 ash ponds. The remaining 10 ponds will be closed in place.