NIPSCO moves toward retirement of coal ash ponds at Michigan City Generating Station

The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) announced plans to retire its five coal ash ponds at the Michigan City Generating Station in Indiana, following approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

NIPSCO intends to remove the material from onsite ponds and replace it with clean fill. That will align it more closely with the Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put in place to promote safe disposal and removal of coal ash while focusing on groundwater quality. It also moves the company closer to stated plans to retire all of its remaining coal-fired generation by 2028.

Coal ash refers to the material left over when coal is burned for electricity. Traditionally, it was used as common building materials and for road construction, or sealed in onsite ponds.

The retirements will be offset by a transition to renewable sources, such as wind, solar, and battery storage. NIPSCO does not expect the pond closures, specifically, to impact operations at Michigan City and fully intends to continue producing coal ash material, which will be dispatched to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management approved landfill at its R.M. Schahfer Generating Station. Further pond closures will proceed at both the Bailly Generating Station and the R.M. Schahfer Generating Station in the future.

Before approval is considered, the effort will need to undergo an opportunity for public comment. A virtual public meeting will be held on April 22 from 4 p.m. to 6p.m. (CST).