DEC Surface water protection annual report 2017-signed

Richard E. Baker, Jr. P.E.
Director
EHS CCP Environmental Programs
526 S. Church Street
Mail Code: EC13K
Charlotte, NC 28202
[phone]

January 23, 2017

Mr. Jeff Poupart
Water Quality Permitting Section Chief
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Services Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617

Subject: Submittal of 2016 Surface Water Protection
and Restoration Annual Report
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC.

Dear Mr. Poupart,

In accordance with North Carolina General Statute 130A-309.212(e), Duke Energy is required to
“…submit an Annual Surface Water Protection Report to the department no later than January
31 of each year.” Duke Energy is pleased to submit the attached 2016 Surface Water
Protection and Restoration Annual Reports for Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC. The attached
report provides information for the following facilities:

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
Allen Steam Station, Belews Creek Steam Station, Buck Station, Cliffside Steam Station,
Dan River Station, Marshall Steam Station and Riverbend Steam Station

If you have any questions regarding these materials, please contact Mr. Shannon Langley at
[phone] or [e-mail].

Sincerely,

Richard E. Baker, Jr. P.E.
Director, EHS CCP Environmental Programs

Attachments

Cc:

Jim Wells, VP, Duke Energy CCP w/attachments
E. Shannon Langley – via email w/attachments

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
2016 North Carolina Surface
Water Protection and
Restoration Annual Report as
required by N.C.G.S. § 130A-
309.212(e)

January 2017

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 2016 North Carolina Surface Water Protection and Restoration Annual Report
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CONTENTS

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Contents
Page
Contents ...................................................................................................................................... i
Section 1 - Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2
Section 2 - Site Background ....................................................................................................... 2
2.1 Allen Steam Station ............................................................................................. 2
2.2 Belews Creek Steam Station ............................................................................... 3
2.3 Buck Combined Cycle Station .............................................................................. 3
2.4 Cliffside Steam Station ......................................................................................... 4
2.5 Dan River Combined Cycle Station ...................................................................... 5
2.6 Marshall Steam Station ........................................................................................ 6
2.7 Riverbend Steam Station ..................................................................................... 7
Section 3 – Surface Water Sampling Summary.......................................................................... 9
Section 4 – Surface Water Protection and Restoration Summary .............................................11
Section 5 – Discharge Identification Status ...............................................................................12
Section 6 – Discharge Assessment Status ................................................................................13

Table 3-1. Duke Energy Coal-Fired Steam Stations 2016 Surface Water Quality Sampling

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

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Section 1 - Introduction
The purpose of this document is to address the requirements of North Carolina General
Statutes (N.C.G.S.) § 130A-309.212(e), Reporting, as established by North Carolina Senate Bill
729, the Coal Ash Management Act of 2014 (CAMA), for multiple ash basin sites operated
under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits as referenced herein.
The following requirements are contained in N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.212:
(e) Reporting. – In addition to any other reporting required by the Department,
the owner of a coal combustion residuals surface impoundment shall submit an
annual Surface Water Protection and Restoration Report to the Department no
later than January 31 of each year. The Report shall include a summary of all
surface water sampling, protection, and restoration activities related to the
impoundment for the preceding year, including the status of the identification,
assessment, and correction of unpermitted discharges from coal combustion
residuals surface impoundments to the surface waters of the State.
CAMA establishes the submittal date of this report as no later than January 31, 2017. This
report satisf ies the requirements of N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.212(e) for activities occurring in 2016
at multiple facilities with ash basin treatment units.
Section 2 - Site Descriptions
2.1 Allen Steam Station
Allen Steam Station (Allen Station) is a five-unit, coal-fired, electric generating plant with a
capacity of 1,140 megawatts located on the west bank of the Catawba River on Lake Wylie in
Belmont, Gaston County, North Carolina. The site is located east of South Point Road (NC 273),
and the surrounding area generally consists of residential properties, undeveloped land, and
Lake Wylie.
Allen Station’s ash basins consist of an active ash basin and an inactive ash basin. The active
ash basin was commissioned in 1973 and is currently in operation. The inactive ash basin is
located to the north of the active ash basin and is not in operation. A large portion of the area on
top of the inactive ash basin is permitted as an industrial landfill by the North Carolina
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Waste Management (Permit No. 3612).
The area contained within the ash basin waste boundary is approximately 322 acres.
There are two earthen dikes impounding the active ash basin: the East Dike, located along the
west bank of Lake Wylie, and the North Dike, separating the active and inactive ash basins. The
surface area of the active ash basin is approximately 169 acres (Duke Energy, 2009) with an
operating pond elevation of approximately 633.5 feet. The full pond elevation of Lake Wylie is
approximately 568.7 feet.
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The ash basin is operated as an integral part of the Allen Station’s wastewater treatment
system, which receives flows from the ash removal system, coal pile runoff, landfill leachate,
flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater, the station yard drain sump, and stormwater flows.
Due to variability in Allen Station operations and weather, the inflows to the ash basin are highly
variable. The inflows from the ash removal system and other plant discharges are discharged
through sluice lines to the ash basin. Prior to 2009, all of the fly ash produced was sluiced to the
ash basin. Since 2009, fly ash has been dry-handled and is infrequently sluiced to the ash
basin. All of the bottom ash produced by the Allen Station is sluiced to the ash basin.
Effluent from the ash basin is discharged from the discharge tower via a 42-inch-diameter
reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) to Lake Wylie. The water surface elevation in the ash basin is
controlled by the use of stop logs in the discharge tower.
2.2 Belews Creek Steam Station
Belews Creek Steam Station (Belews Creek Station) is a coal-fired electric generating facility
with a capacity of 2,240 megawatts located on Belews Lake in Stokes County, North Carolina.
Belews Creek Station is a two-unit station, which began commercial operation in 1974. Belews
Creek, a tributary of the Dan River, was impounded by Duke Energy (formerly Duke Power at
the time of initial impoundment) to form Belews Lake. Belews Lake is approximately 3,800 acres
in area and provides cooling water for the Belews Creek Station.
The ash basin system consists of a single cell impounded by an earthen dike located on the
north end of the ash basin. The ash basin system was constructed from 1970–1972 and is
located approximately 3,200 feet northwest of Belews Creek Station. The waste boundary for
the ash basin encompasses approximately 342 acres.
The full pond elevation for the Belews Creek Station ash basin is approximately 750 feet. The
normal pond elevation of Belews Lake is approximately 725 feet.
Due to the nature of Belews Creek Station operations, inflows to the ash basin are highly
variable. The inflows from Belews Creek Station to the ash basin are discharged to the
southeast portion of the ash basin. The ash basin pond elevation is controlled by the use of
concrete stop logs. The discharge from the ash basin is through a concrete discharge tower
located in the northwest portion of the ash basin. The concrete discharge tower drains through a
24-inch-diameter SDR 17 high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE) conduit for approximately
1,600 feet and then discharges into a concrete flume box. The discharge is to an un-named
tributary that flows northward to the Dan River.
2.3 Buck Steam Station
Buck Steam Station (Buck Station) is a former coal-fired electricity generating facility with a
capacity of 256 megawatts located near the town of Salisbury in Rowan County, North Carolina.
As of April 2013, all of the coal-fired units have been retired. The site is located northwest of
Leonard Road, and the surrounding area generally consists of residential properties,
undeveloped land, and the Yadkin River. The site now contains the new Buck Combined Cycle
Station (BCCS), a 620-megawatt natural gas-powered electric generating station. The entire
Buck Station and BCCS site is approximately 640 acres in area.
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The ash basin system at the Buck Station was used to retain and settle ash generated from coal
combustion at Buck Station. The ash basin system consists of three cells, the associated
earthen dikes, discharge structures, and two canals. The cells are designated as Cell 1
Additional Primary Pond (Cell 1), Cell 2 Primary Pond (Cell 2), and Cell 3 Secondary Pond (Cell
3). The ash basin is located to the south (Cell 1) and southeast (Cells 2 and 3) of the retired
Buck Station Units 1 through 6 and the BCCS. The original ash pond at Buck Station began
operation in 1957 and was formed by constructing a dam across a tributary of the Yadkin River.
The footprint of the original ash pond was the approximate current footprint of Cells 2 and 3. As
the ash pond capacity diminished over time, the original pond was eventually divided into two
ash ponds (Cells 2 and 3) by construction of a separate dike. In 1982, additional storage was
created by construction of Cell 1, separate from the other cells, by building a new dike up
gradient from Cell 2.
Until Cell 1 was constructed, ash generated from the coal combustion process at Buck Station
was sluiced (via ash discharge lines) to Cell 2. Following construction of Cell 1, sluiced ash was
rerouted from Cell 2 to Cell 1. Flow from Cell 1 enters Cell 2 via the Primary Cell Discharge
Tower. Flow from Cell 2 enters Cell 3 via the Old Primary Cell Discharge Structure. Flow from
Cell 3 discharges to the Yadkin River through the Secondary Cell Discharge Tower.
The approximate pond elevations for the three ash basin cells are: Cell 1 – pond elevation 705
feet; Cell 2 – pond elevation 682 feet; and Cell 3 – pond elevation 674 feet. The elevation of the
Yadkin River near the site is approximately 624 feet.
The area contained within the waste boundary for Cell 1 encompasses approximately 90 acres.
For purposes of delineating the waste boundary, Cells 2 and 3 are considered a single unit, with
the area contained within this portion of the waste boundary encompassing approximately 80.7
acres. Cell 3 was developed by increasing the elevation of the earthen dike along the Yadkin
River and constructing an intermediate dike across the ash placed in Cell 2.
The ash basin system is operated as an integral part of the site’s wastewater treatment system.
During operation of the coal-fired units, the ash basin received variable inflows from the ash
removal system and other permitted discharges. Currently, the ash basin receives variable
inflows from the station yard drain sump, stormwater flows, Buck Station wastewater, and BCCS
wastewater.
Effluent from the ash basin is discharged through the discharge tower into a concrete-lined
channel to the Yadkin River. The water surface elevation in the ash basin is controlled by the
use of stoplogs.
2.4 Cliffside Steam Station
Cliffside Steam Station (Cliffside Station) is a coal-fired, electricity-generating facility located
along the south bank of the Broad River in Rutherford and Cleveland Counties at 573 Duke
Power Road, Cliffside, North Carolina. Cliffside Station currently operates Units 5 and 6 only.
The original Units 1–4 were retired in October 2011. The surrounding area generally consists of
residential properties, undeveloped land, and the Broad River.
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Cliffside Station has one active ash basin and two inactive ash basins, the Units 1–4 inactive
ash basin, and the Unit 5 inactive ash basin. The active ash basin and the Units 1–4 inactive
ash basin are located in Cleveland County to the east and southeast of Cliffside Station. The
Unit 5 inactive ash basin is located in Rutherford County west of Cliffside Station.
The active ash basin is located approximately 1,700 feet to the east-southeast of Cliffside
Station adjacent to the Broad River. The active ash basin is impounded by earthen dikes
located between the west portion of the basin and Suck Creek and between the northeast
portion of the basin and the Broad River. The waste boundary associated with the active ash
basin is approximately 117 acres in area. The approximate maximum pond elevation of the
active ash basin is 770 feet. The main section of the pond is operated below 765 feet to leave
extra storage capacity during a heavy flood event.
The two ash storage areas are located adjacent to the active ash basin. The ash located in
these storage areas was removed from the active ash basin. The Units 1–4 inactive ash basin is
located approximately 400 feet to the southeast of the retired Units 1–4 and approximately
1,300 feet to the northeast of Unit 6, adjacent to the Broad River. The Units 1–4 inactive ash
basin is impounded by an earthen dike located along the north and northeast side of the basin.
The waste boundary associated with the Units 1–4 inactive ash basin is approximately 14.5
acres in area.
The Unit 5 inactive ash basin is located approximately 1,000 feet to the southwest of Unit 5 and
approximately 1,000 feet west of Unit 6, south of the Broad River. The Unit 5 inactive ash basin
is impounded by two earthen dikes located along the north and northeast sides of the basin.
The waste boundary associated with the Unit 5 inactive ash basin is approximately 58 acres in
area. The ash basin system has been an integral part of the Cliffside Station’s wastewater
treatment system, which has received inflows from the ash removal system, station yard drain
sump, stormwater flows, and station wastewater. Currently, the inflows from the ash removal
system and the station yard drainage basin are discharged through HDPE sluice lines into the
active ash basin. The inflows are variable based on Unit 5 and Unit 6 operations.
Effluent from the ash basin system is discharged from the active basin to the Broad River
through a concrete discharge tower located in the northeast portion of the basin. The concrete
discharge tower drains through a 42-inch RCP into a riprap-lined channel that discharges to the
Broad River. The ash basin pond elevation is controlled by the use of concrete stoplogs.
2.5 Dan River Steam Station
Dan River Steam Station (Dan River Station) was a coal-fired generating facility located near
the town of Eden in Rockingham County, North Carolina. The three-unit station began
commercial operation in 1949. All three coal-fired units, along with three oil-fired combustion
turbine units, were retired in 2012 and are currently being decommissioned. Simultaneously, the
Dan River Combined Cycle Station (DRCCS), a 620-megawatt natural gas-fired facility, began
commercial operations on site on December 10, 2012. The Dan River site is located on the
north bank of the Dan River, and the surrounding area generally consists of undeveloped and
agricultural land, the Dan River, and a small number of residential properties.
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The ash basin system is located adjacent to the Dan River and consists of a Primary Cell, a
Secondary Cell, and associated embankments and outlet works. The ash basin is impounded
by earthen dikes, and an earthen/ash divider dike separates the Primary Cell from the
Secondary Cell. The Primary Cell lies at an elevation of approximately 535 feet and has a
surface area of approximately 21.8 acres. The Secondary Cell lies at an elevation of
approximately 527 feet and has a surface area of approximately 12.2 acres.
The original ash basin was constructed in 1956 with an approximate crest elevation of 525 feet.
In 1968 and 1969, the ash storage basin was expanded to cover the area occupied today. At
that time, the dikes were raised to an approximate elevation of 530 feet. In 1976 and 1977, the
intermediate dike was constructed to stage sluicing by subdividing the basin into a Primary Cell
and Secondary Cell. The intermediate dike and new Primary Cell dikes were vertically
expanded through inward dike construction, where the outward dike slope was maintained and
extended upward to the dike crest. Through inward dike construction, portions of the main dike
were constructed over ash. The intermediate dike was also constructed over ash.
In 1980, newer dikes, referenced as the dredge dikes, were constructed north of the Primary
and Secondary Cells, creating a dredge pond and two dry storage areas. Ash was dredged to
the southernmost portion of the northern ash fill, and free liquids were allowed to gravity drain to
the topographically lower dredge pond located between the dry storage areas. Once dewatered,
ash was transported and placed dry in the two dry storage areas known as Ash Fill 1 and Ash
Fill 2. The placement of ash in the ash storage areas occurred during multiple projects.
The ash basin was operated as an integral part of the site’s wastewater treatment system.
During operation of the coal-fired units, the ash basin received variable inflows from the ash
removal system, station yard drain sump, stormwater flows, and other permitted discharges.
The coal ash was sluiced to the southwest corner of the Primary Cell on a variable basis (i.e.,
dependent on Dan River Station operations) via sluice pipes.
Flow is routed from the Primary Cell to the Secondary Cell through a concrete discharge tower.
Effluent from the Secondary Cell is routed to the Dan River via a concrete discharge tower
located in the Secondary Cell. The water surface in both the Primary and Secondary Cells is
controlled by the use of stop logs.
2.6 Marshall Steam Station
Marshall Steam Station (Marshall Station) is a four-unit, coal-fired electric generating plant with
a capacity of 2,090 megawatts located in Catawba County, North Carolina, near the community
of Terrell. The site is located north of NC Hwy 150, east of Sherrills Ford Road and south of
Island Point Road, and the surrounding area generally consists of residential properties,
undeveloped land, and Lake Norman.
The ash basin system consists of a single cell impounded by an earthen dike located on the
southeast end of the ash basin. The ash basin system was constructed in 1965 and is located
approximately 2,000 feet northeast of the power plant. The area contained within the ash basin
waste boundary is approximately 382 acres in area.
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SECTION 2 - SITE DESCRIPTIONS

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The full pond elevation for the Marshall Steam Station ash basin is approximately 790 feet. The
normal pond elevation of Lake Norman is approximately 760 feet.
The ash basin is operated as an integral part of Marshall Steam Station’s wastewater treatment
system and receives inflows from the ash removal system, coal pile runoff, landfill leachate,
FGD wastewater, the station yard drain sump, stormwater flows, and station wastewater. Due to
variability in station operations and weather, inflows to the ash basin are highly variable. Inflows
from the station to the ash basin are discharged into the northwest portion of the ash basin.
The discharge from the ash basin is through a concrete discharge tower located in the eastern
portion of the ash basin. The concrete discharge tower drains through a 30-inch-diameter, slip-
lined corrugated metal pipe (CMP), which discharges into Lake Norman. The ash basin pond
elevation is controlled by the use of concrete stop logs in the discharge tower.
2.7 Riverbend Steam Station
Riverbend Steam Station (Riverbend Station) is a former coal-fired electric generating facility,
which had a capacity of 454 megawatts located in Gaston County, North Carolina, near the
town of Mt. Holly. As of April 1, 2013, all of the coal-fired units have been retired. The seven-unit
station began commercial operation in 1929 with two units and then expanded to seven by
1954. During its final years of operation, Riverbend Station was considered a cycling station and
was brought online to supplement energy supply when electricity demand was at its highest.
The ash basin system consists of a Primary Cell and a Secondary Cell, separated by an
intermediate dike. The ash basin at Riverbend Station originally consisted of a single-cell basin
commissioned in 1957 and was expanded in 1979. The single basin was divided by constructing
a divider dike to form two separate cells in 1986.
The ash basin is located approximately 2,400 feet to the northeast of the power plant, adjacent
to Mountain Island Lake. The Primary Cell is impounded by an earthen embankment dike,
referred to as Dam #1 (Primary), located on the west side of the Primary Cell. The Secondary
Cell is impounded by an earthen embankment dike, referred to as Dam #2 (Secondary), located
along the northeast side of the Secondary Cell. The toe areas for both dikes are in close
proximity to Mountain Island Lake.
The surface area of the Primary Cell is approximately 41 acres with an approximate maximum
pond elevation of 724 feet. The surface area of the Secondary Cell is approximately 28 acres
with an approximate maximum pond elevation of 714 feet. The full pond elevation of Mountain
Island Lake is approximately 646.8 feet.
The ash basin system was an integral part of Riverbend Station’s wastewater treatment
system, which predominantly received inflows from the ash removal system, station yard drain
sump, and stormwater flows. Before Riverbend Station was retired, inflows to the ash basin
were highly variable due to the cyclical nature of station operations. The inflows from the ash
removal system and the station yard drain sump are discharged through sluice lines into the
Primary Cell. Discharge from the Primary Cell to the Secondary Cell is through a concrete
discharge tower located near the divider dike.
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SECTION 2 - SITE DESCRIPTIONS

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Although Riverbend Station is retired, wastewater effluent from other non-ash-related station
discharges to the ash basin is discharged from the Secondary Cell, through a concrete
discharge tower, to Mountain Island Lake. The concrete discharge tower drains through a 30-
inch-diameter CMP into a concrete-lined channel that discharges to Mountain Island Lake. The
ash basin pond elevation is controlled by the use of concrete stop logs.

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SECTION 3 – SURFACE WATER SAMPLING SUMMARY

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Section 3 – Surface Water Sampling Summary
The NPDES program regulates wastewater discharges from ash basins to surface waters to
ensure that surface water quality standards are maintained. Surface water discharges are
identified and evaluated to locate potential outfalls for inclusion in the permit. The NPDES
permitting program requires that permits be renewed at least every five years.
Routine surface water monitoring was performed in 2016 in accordance with each site’s NPDES
permit conditions and CAMA. Table 3-1 below summarizes the 2016 routine surface water
quality sampling conducted at the seven Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC coal-fired steam stations
described in Section 2.
Table 3-1. Duke Energy Coal-Fired Steam Stations 2016 Surface Water Quality Sampling
Station Water Quality1 Water Chemistry Trace Elements
Allen Steam Electric Plant2 X X Fish tissues
Belews Creek Steam Electric
Plant2 X X
Fish tissues, sediments,
plankton, and
macroinvertebrates
Buck Steam Electric Plant3 X X Fish tissues
Cliffside Steam Electric Plant2 X X Fish tissues
Dan River Steam Electric Plant3&4 X X
Fish tissues, sediments,
benthic macroinvertebrates,
Corbicula, and periphyton
Marshall Steam Electric Plant5 X X Fish tissues
Riverbend Steam Electric Plant2 X X Fish tissues
1Temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, secchi disk transparency depth (at lake stations only)
2 Total alkalinity, biological oxygen demand (Belews and Cliffside only), hardness (Allen only), dissolved organic carbon, total
organic carbon (Belews, Cliffside, and Riverbend stations) , total solids, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, and
silica. Ions included aluminum, bromide (Allen and Cliffside only), chloride, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron,
and manganese. Trace elements (total) included arsenic, barium (Riverbend only), chromium (Riverbend only), boron, cadmium,
copper, copper (soluble), lead, mercury (Allen and Cliffside, Riverbend only), nickel (Riverbend only), selenium, silver (Riverbend
only), and zinc. Nutrients included total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrate-nitrite, ammonia, and orthophosphate.
3 Water Quality has been collected and reported in previous years by the Yadkin Pee De River Basin Association.
4 Additional water chemistry constituents analyzed for Dan River include potassium, aluminum, silver, barium, beryllium, chromium,
cadmium, and zinc.
5 Total dissolved solids and trace elements including arsenic, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, copper (soluble), lead, mercury,
selenium, and zinc.

On February 2, 2014, Duke Energy identified a release from the Dan River Station as a result of
pipe failure. The release was later quantified to have contained between 30,000 and 39,000
tons of ash. Duke Energy immediately took action in effort to cease the release, and on
February 8, 2014 completed a permanent fix to the pipe that had failed. Subsequently, Duke
Energy has entered into a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Administrative Order of Consent requiring long-term water and sediment monitoring, proper
removal and disposal of coal ash, and payment of EPA CERCLA response costs. Duke Energy
also signed a cooperative agreement for Natural Resource Damage Assessment with the states
of North Carolina and Virginia, and the United States Department of Interior. This agreement
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SECTION 3 – SURFACE W ATER SAMPLING SUMMARY

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requires additional data collection and assessment, expediting restoration, and payment of the
trustees’ assessment and restoration costs. Duke Energy removed approximately 5,207 tons of
ash and sediment from various locations. It was determined by EPA that this was effectively all
of the ash that could be removed without damaging ecosystems of the Dan River.
Subsequently, EPA has declared that they “do not believe human health has been impacted by
this coal ash spill” and that, as of July 15, 2014, water quality in the Dan River had returned to
normal. In October 2014, DEQ staff reported that aquatic insects, worms, and other
invertebrates “appear[ed] to be thriving.” In 2016, Duke Energy continued long-term water,
ecological, and sediment monitoring work in accordance with the EPA CERCLA Administrative
Order of Consent.

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SECTION 4 – SURFACE WATER PROTECTION AND RESTORATION SUMMARY
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Section 4 – Surface Water Protection and Restoration Summary
In 2016, Duke Energy identified and submitted a number of documents to comply with the
CAMA requirements. Documents submitted and additional activities of note undertaken are
listed below:
• Submitted Revisions to NPDES permit applications and required supplemental
information for Belews Creek Station, Cliffside Station, Allen Station, and Buck Station.
• Applied for and received Special Order by Consent for Riverbend Station to resolve
administrative challenge to issued permit.
• Received and implemented final NPDES wastewater permits for Riverbend Station,
Marshall Station and Dan River Station.
• Received DRAFT NPDES wastewater permits for Belews Creek Station and Rogers
(Cliffside) Station.
• Conducted weekly and annual dam inspections.
• Advanced efforts to provide permanent drinking water options to applicable neighbors of
ash basins.
• In accordance with authorization received from DEQ, undertook decanting activities at
Riverbend Station and Dan River Station.
• Continued removal of ash from basins at Riverbend Station, Dan River Station, and
Cliffside Station.
• Announced ash beneficiation project to be undertaken at Buck Station.
• Identified potential areas of wetness in proximity to ash basins and provided information
on these areas to DEQ.
• Implemented NPDES permit coverage for stormwater discharges at Riverbend Station,
Allen Station, Marshall Station, Cliffside Station, and Dan River Station.
• Continued long-term water, ecological, and sediment monitoring work in accordance with
the EPA CERCLA Administrative Order of Consent for Dan River Station.
Upcoming commitments and activities related to the CAMA include:
• Annual Groundwater Protection and Restoration Report.
• End stormwater discharge to impoundments at retired plants consistent with the
requirements of N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.210(c).
• Close impoundments at Dan River Station and Riverbend Station.
• End stormwater discharge to impoundments at active plants consistent with the
requirements of N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.210(c).
• End wastewater discharges to impoundments at active coal fired plants.
• Develop and install new ash handling methods as ash basins are closed.
• Close basins as required by CAMA and in accordance with performance standards set
out in the federal coal combustion residuals rule to the extent of its applicability to a
particular station.

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Section 5 – Discharge Identification Status
The Discharge Identification Plans submitted in September 2014 for all seven (7) DEC sites
addressed the requirements of N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.212(d), Identification and assessment of
discharges; correction of unpermitted discharges. Inspection procedures developed to satisfy
the requirements of N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.212(d) were presented in these plans and used as the
basis for developing the topographic map required by N.C.G.S § 130A-309.212(a)(2). These
documents were submitted to DEQ on September 30, 2014 for all seven (7) DEC stations
described in Section 2. In 2016, Duke Energy implemented the procedures outlined in the
previously submitted Discharge Identification plans and worked with DEQ to address requested
revisions based on comments from EPA.

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SECTION 6 – DISCHARGE ASSESSMENT STATUS

Section 6 – Discharge Assessment Status
Duke Energy submitted the required Topographic Map and Discharge Assessment Plans to
DEQ on December 30, 2014. The plan addressed the requirements of N.C.G.S. § 130A-
309.212(a)(2), topographic map, and (b), Assessment of Discharges from Coal Combustion
Residuals Surface Impoundments to the Surface Waters of the State. The elements required in
N.C.G.S. § 130A-309.212(a) were incorporated into the plan. These documents were submitted
to DEQ on December 30, 2014 for all seven (7) stations described in Section 2. During 2016,
Duke Energy provided sampling data to DEQ of potential discharges from coal combustion
residuals surface impoundments. Duke Energy participated in numerous meetings and site
visits with DEQ staff in evaluating such potential discharges.