The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutNCG500139_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20240814ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Trevor Turner, General Manager Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC 257 Duke Lane Stanley, NC 28164 SUBJECT: Compliance Evaluation Inspection Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Facility NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality August 14, 2024 Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC NPDES General Permit No. NCG500139 Lincoln County Dear Mr. Turner: Enclosed is a copy of the Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI) Report for the inspection conducted regarding General Permit No. NCG500139 on August 12, 2024, by Mr. Wes Bell of this Office. This Office would like to thank you all Duke Energy staff for the cooperation and assistance provided during the inspection. Should you have any questions concerning this report, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Bell at (704) 235-2192 or at wes.bell kdeq.nc.gov. Sincerely, DocuSigned by: A�•�Guw N Nl-ft F161 FB69A2D84A3... Andrew H. Pitner, P.G. Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Mooresville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ Enclosure: Inspection Report Cc: Trevor Turner, Duke Energy (via eCopy) Randy Hawkins, Duke Energy (via eCopy) Glenn Long, Duke Energy (via eCopy) NPDES Program Files — Laserfiche el- DEQ�� North Carolina Department of Environmental quality I Divisionof Water Resources Mooresville Regional Office 1 610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301 1 Mooresville, North Carolina 28115 704.6631699 United States Environmental Protection Agency Form Approved. EPA Washington, D.C. 20460 OMB No. 2040-0057 Water Compliance Inspection Report Approval expires 8-31-98 Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS) Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type 1 IN 1 2 u 3 I NCG500139 111 121 24/08/12 I17 18 I C I 19 I s I 20L] 21111I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I r6 Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA ---------------------- Reserved ------------------- 67 1.0 701d I 711„ I 72 I r., I 71 I 74 79 I I I I I I I80 L—I ty L-1 I I Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date POTW name and NPDES permit Number) 09:30AM 24/08/12 20/12/14 Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station 257 Duke Ln Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date Stanley NC 28164 11:52AM 24/08/12 25/11/30 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) Other Facility Data Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Trevor Turner,257 Duke Ln Stanley NC 28164/General Manager/704-812-1104/ No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Permit 0 Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenar Records/Reports Self -Monitoring Progran 0 Facility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Wate Laboratory Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date Wes Bell signed by: DWR/MRO WQ/704-235-2192/ 8/14/2024 Be& E�Docu`,'c',96D90=437— Signature of Mana c@sArRt4rewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date Andrew Pitney A4-u`'4 H P R/MRO WQ/704-663-1699 Ext.2180/ 8/14/2024 F161FB69A2D84A3... EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page# NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type NCG500139 I11 12I 24/08/12 117 18 i c i Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) On -site Representatives: The following Duke Energy staff were in attendance during the inspection: Messrs. Randy Hawkins, Chris Randazzo, Glenn Long, Eric Morris and Josh Quinn. Page# Permit: NCG500139 Owner -Facility: Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station Inspection Date: 08/12/2024 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Permit Yes No NA NE (If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ application? Is the facility as described in the permit? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ # Are there any special conditions for the permit? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: No biocides and/or chemical additives are added to the once -through cooling water and no chemical wheel pit cleaning activities are performed. The last compliance evaluation inspection at this facility was performed by DWR staff on 9/22/2021. Record Keeping Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit? Is all required information readily available, complete and current? Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)? Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs? Is the chain -of -custody complete? Dates, times and location of sampling Name of individual performing the sampling Results of analysis and calibration Dates of analysis Name of person performing analyses Transported COCs Are DMRs complete: do they include all permit parameters? Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ? (If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 24/7 with a certified operator on each shift? Is the ORC visitation log available and current? Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification? Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility classification? Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site? Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ Comment: The records reviewed during the inspection were organized and well maintained. Discharge monitoring data was reviewed for 2023 and 2024. No limit and/or monitoring violations were noted. Page# 3 Permit: NCG500139 Inspection Date: 08/12/2024 Record Keeping Owner -Facility: Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Laboratory Are field parameters performed by certified personnel or laboratory? Are all other parameters(excluding field parameters) performed by a certified lab? # Is the facility using a contract lab? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Incubator (Fecal Coliform) set to 44.5 degrees Celsius+/- 0.2 degrees? Incubator (BOD) set to 20.0 degrees Celsius +/- 1.0 degrees? Yes No NA NE Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ Comment: Effluent pH and temperature are performed under Duke Energy's field laborator rV certification #5193. Duke Energy's Analytical Laboratory (Certification #248) currently performs the effluent oil & grease analyses. Effluent Sampling Is composite sampling flow proportional? Is sample collected below all treatment units? Is proper volume collected? Is the tubing clean? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type representative)? Comment: The subject permit requires effluent grab samples. Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ Upstream / Downstream Sampling Yes No NA NE Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type, 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ and sampling location)? Comment: Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable? Comment: Any residual oils in the power generating areas are contained and conveyed to an oil storage tank. The oil is removed (as -needed) from the storage tank by a contracted company (Haz-mat). Page# 4 Permit: NCG500139 Owner -Facility: Inspection Date: 08/12/2024 Inspection Type: Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station Compliance Evaluation Flow Measurement - Effluent Yes No NA NE # Is flow meter used for reporting? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Is flow meter calibrated annually? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Is the flow meter operational? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ (If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Comment: Flow measurements are based on megawatt production and/or pump flow rates (Sum Outfall). Effluent Pipe Yes No NA NE Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑ Comment: The Sump Outfall was not discharging at time of the inspection: however, the effluent in the sump appeared clear with no floatable solids or oil sheens. No floatable solids, foam or oil sheens were observed at the tailrace. Note: The facility was generating power at the time of the inspection. Page# 5