Efforts to dewater ash ponds underway, Georgia Power says

Georgia Power announced this week that it began the process of dewatering its ash ponds, bringing the company closer to the permanent closure of the 29 ash ponds at 11 active and retired power generation sites across Georgia.

The dewatering process involves treating the removed water so that it meets requirements of each plant’s wastewater discharge permits as approved by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) as well as pertinent water quality standards.

“As we progress through our ash pond closures, protecting water quality in our state’s waterways is as important to us as it is to our customers,” Aaron Mitchell, general manager of Environmental Affairs for Georgia Power, said. “Our ash pond closure and dewatering plans are in compliance with all environmental regulations. In addition, we have invested in appropriate water treatment systems for each location to ensure that our dewatering process is protective of Georgia’s lakes and rivers.”

Before dewatering an ash pond, Georgia Power must submit an “ash pond dewatering plan” to EPD. Once approved, the plan is posted to the company’s website. Before beginning the dewatering process, Georgia Power notifies EPD of intention to do so.

An independent wastewater contractor will operate the treatment system. The process may include steps such as pH adjustment, clarification, and filtration. Independent contractors then sample and analyze the discharged water and the receiving lake or river to ensure standards are met.

The plans to complete the construction work needed to accommodate dry handling of ash at its coal-fired generation facilities in 2019.