NC0004961_Final Cover Major Mod 2020_20210215

ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretary
S. DANIEL SMITH
Director
Mr. Paul Draovitch, Senior Vice President
Environmental, Health and Safety
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
Mail Code EC13K
P.O. Box 1006
Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006
Dear Mr. Draovitch:
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
February 16, 2021
Subject: Final NPDES Permit
Permit NC0004961
Riverbend Steam Station
Gaston County
Facility Class I
The Division of Water Resources is forwarding herewith the Final NPDES permit for Riverbend
Steam Station. This permit is issued pursuant to the requirements of North Carolina General Statute
143-215.1 and the Memorandum of Agreement between North Carolina and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency dated October 15, 2007 (or as subsequently amended).
The Final Permit contains no significant changes from your Draft Permit.
The Final Permit maintains the following significant changes contained in the Draft
Permit:
• The following Outfalls have been eliminated from the permit because the flow has ceased after
the ash ponds have been decommissioned and ash removed: 001, 002, 011, 101, 103, 104, 105,
106, 109, 110, 111, and 112.
• There are additional Outfalls that have been eliminated from the permit: 102, 107, and 108. The
seeps that have been assigned these Outfall numbers are still flowing, but following excavation
of the coal ash impoundment, they were found to be streams. If remediation of these streams
is necessary, it will be addressed through the corrective action plan for the former impoundment
or other administrative process.
• Outfall 002A has been repurposed for the discharge of the treated groundwater.
• Appendix A has been repurposed from Plan for Identification of New Discharges to the
Compliance Boundary Map to be consistent with other Duke permits.
• Chronic toxicity requirements have been transferred from Outfall 002 to Outfall 002A.
LD_E
NORTH CAROLINA
Department of Environmental Quay
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919.707.9000

• Groundwater Monitoring Well Construction and Sampling special condition has been removed
from the permit to be consistent with other Duke permits.
• Ash Closure Plan special condition has been removed from the permit due to the completion
of the coal ash excavation.
• Priority Pollutant Analysis condition has been removed from the permit since Outfall 002 is
closed.
• Chronic Toxicity Monitoring frequency was reduced from Monthly to Quarterly due to the
completion of the coal ash excavation.
• Ash Settling Basin special condition has been removed from the permit due to the completion
of the coal ash excavation and decommissioning of the coal ash basins.
• Total Copper and Total Iron Monitoring has been removed from the permit since the facility
has been decommissioned and no longer subject to 40 CFR 423.
• The type of sampling for Outfall 002A has been changed from Grab to Composite based on the
requirements of 15A NCAC 2B .0500.
• Monitoring for Arsenic, Selenium, and Mercury have been added to Outfall 002A based on the
permitting policy for coal-fired power plants.
• The Applicable State Law special condition has been removed from the permit due to the
removal of all coal ash from the site.
If any parts, measurement frequencies, or sampling requirements contained in this permit are
unacceptable to you, you have the right to an adjudicatory hearing upon written request within thirty
(30) days following receipt of this letter. This request must be in the form of a written petition,
conforming to Chapter 150B of the North Carolina General Statutes, and filed with the office of
Administrative Hearings, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-6714. Unless such
a demand is made, this permit shall be final and binding.
Please note that this permit is not transferable except after notice to the Division. The Division may
require modification or revocation and reissuance of the permit. This permit does not affect the legal
requirements to obtain other permits which may be required by the Division of Water Resources or any
other Federal, State, or Local governmental regulations.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Sergei Chernikov, telephone
number [phone] or email: [e-mail].
Sincerely,
S. Daniel Smith, Director
Division of Water Resources
cc: Central Files
NPDES Files
Mooresville Regional Office/Water Quality
WSS/Aquatic Toxicology Unit (e-copy)
EPA Region IV (e-copy)