NC0024406_SOC_20200129

a
efliN DUKE James Wells
Iev ENERGY® Vice President
® Environmental, Health and Safety
Programs&Environmental Sciences
526 South Church Street
Charlotte,NC 28202
[phone]
RECEIVED
January 29, 2020 FEB 04 2020
Via Overnight Mail NDDEQ/DWR/NPDES
Lon Snider
Winston Salem Regional Office Assistant Environmental Regional Supervisor
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston Salem, NC 27105
Bob Sledge
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Permitting Program
Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Subject: Report Under Special Order by Consent—EMC SOC WQ S 18-004
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC—Belews Creek Steam Station
NPDES Permit NC0024406
Quarterly Progress Report for 4th Quarter 2019
Dear Messrs. Snider and Sledge:
On behalf of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC(DEC), I am submitting to you the Belews Creek Steam
Station Progress Report summarizing the work and activities undertaken with respect to closure of
coal ash surface impoundments as required by the Belews Creek Steam Station NPDES Permit
NC0024406 Special Order by Consent (SOC), SOC No. S 18-004 Section 2.c.2).
As required by the SOC, I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were
prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that
qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry
of the person or persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for
gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false
information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.

•
Messrs. Snider and Sledge
January 29, 2020
Page 2
Please direct any questions concerning the Belews Creek Steam Station SOC No. S 18-004 to
Joyce Dishmon at [phone].
Sincerely,
James ells
Vice Pr sident, Environment, Health & Safety-
Program, and Environmental Sciences
Duke Energy
Attachment
•
Belews Creek Steam Station Quarterly Progress Report
CC: Richard Baker, Duke Energy
Joyce Dishmon, Duke Energy
Brenda Johnson, Duke Energy
George Hamrick, Duke Energy
Paul Draovitch, Duke Energy
Matt Hanchey, Duke Energy
Randy Hart, Duke Energy

NPDES PERMIT NC0024406
SPECIAL ORDER BY CONSENT EMC SOC S18-004
QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT BELEWS CREEK STEAM STATION
JANUARY 29, 2020
L _

Background and Summary
On July 12, 2018, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (DEC) and the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission entered into a Special Order by Consent- EMC SOC S18-004(SOC)applicable to the Belews Creek
Steam Station (Belews Creek). This report is submitted in accordance with Section 2.c.2) of the SOC. In
compliance with Section 2.c.2), this report summarizes the work and activities undertaken with respect to
decanting work and closure of coal ash surface impoundments at Belews Creek. The quarterly reports are
due no later than the last day of January, April, July, and October for the duration of the SOC, once the
decanting process has begun.
The Belews Creek Steam Station is located on Belews Lake in southeastern Stokes County, NC. Belews Creek
is a two-unit, 2240-megawatt coal-fired generating facility. The Station began commercial operation in 1974
with Units 1 and 2.
Belews Creek operates one Ash Basin for storing wet sluiced Coal Combustion Residuals(CCR). The Ash Basin
was constructed from 1970 to 1972 and has been operational since 1974. It received bottom ash sluiced
from the Station until Q4 2018. Regular sluicing of fly ash ended in 1983 when the Station converted to dry
fly ash handling. The Ash Basin has an approximate area of 283 acres and has been an integral part of the
Station's wastewater treatment system. The current ash inventory of the Ash Basin is approximately 12.0
million tons as of November 2019.
Decanting Status
In compliance with this SOC, Duke Energy initiated design and procurement efforts in Q3 2018 fora decanting
water treatment system at Belews Creek. Purchase Orders were awarded in Q4 2018 for the civil pad and
electrical infrastructure installations, as well as a Purchase Order for the water treatment supplier. Duke
Energy completed installation and commissioning of the decanting water treatment system on March 22,
2019 and commenced mechanical decanting on March 27, 2019. Duke Energy provided advance notice for
the projected start date of decanting to NCDEQ on March 8, 2019, as required by the NPDES Permit, and
written notification for the initiation of decanting per the SOC on April 2, 2019. Decanting was suspended on
July 29, 2019 to allow for rerouting of the ash basin discharge to the Dan River via new Outfall 006A.The new
Outfall 006A and pump station were completed in November 2019. In accordance with the SOC, a
physical/chemical system to treat basin water was installed and ready for service in December 2019. Duke
Energy provided advanced notice on December 17, 2019 for the projected startup date of the
physical/chemical treatment system, as required by the NPDES Permit, and written notification of initiation
of startup of the physical/chemical treatment system per the SOC on January 8, 2020. A revised NPDES
permit was received December 12, 2019. Through December 31, 2019 approximately 10 feet have been
decanted from an initial depth of 81 feet.
Belews Creek: 2