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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0004774_Special Order By Consent_20190424 ti DUKE James Wells ENERGENERGY( Vice President Y. Environmental,Health and Safety Programs&Environmental Sciences 526 South Church Street Mail Code EC13K Charlotte,NC 28202 (980)373-9646 April 24, 2019 Via Overnight Mail Corey Basinger ECEII/r' _fp4/�j�/� Mooresville Regional Office Regional Supervisor APR 2 9 2019 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources • Water Resources Water Resources -Water Quality Regional Operations �srrrtiidg Section 610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301 Mooresville, NC 28115 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 Carolina, LLC—Buck Steam Station NPDES Permit NC0004774 Quarterly Progress Report Dear Messrs. Basinger and Sledge: On behalf of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (DEC), I am submitting to you the Buck Steam Station Progress Report summarizing the work and activities undertaken with respect to closure of coal ash surface impoundments as required by the Buck Steam Station NPDES Permit NC0004774 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. Basinger and Sledge r ' April 24, 2019 Page 2 Please direct any questions concerning the Buck Steam Station NPDES Permit NC0004774 SOC No. S 18-004 to Elizabeth Glenn at (980) 373-0530. Sincerely, James ells Vice Pr sident, Environment, Health & Safety- Program and Environmental Sciences Duke Energy Attachment: Buck Steam Station Quarterly Progress Report CC: Richard Baker, Duke Energy Elizabeth Glenn, Duke Energy Dale Wooten, Duke Energy George Hamrick, Duke Energy Paul Draovitch,Duke Energy Matt Hanchey, Duke Energy Randy Hart, Duke Energy ! , NPDES PERMIT NC0004774 SPECIAL ORDER BY CONSENT EMC SOC WQ S18-004 QUARTERLY EXCAVATION PROGRESS REPORT BUCK STEAM STATION APRIL 24, 2019 r 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 WQS18-004(SOC) applicable to the Buck Steam Station (Buck). This report is submitted in accordance with Section 2.c. of the SOC. In compliance with Section 2.c., this report summarizes the work and activities undertaken with respect to decanting work and closure of coal ash surface impoundments at Buck. 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. Buck was once a six-unit coal-fired generating station located on the Yadkin River in Rowan County, NC. The plant began operation in 1926 with two units, added a unit in 1941, another unit in 1942, and the final two units in 1953. At its peak,the generating facility had a capacity of 440 megawatts. Units 1 and 2 retired in 1979, Units 3 and 4 retired in 2011,and Units 5 and 6 were retired in 2013. The coal plant has been demolished through a combination of implosion and mechanical removal of plant structures. The site is now home of the new Buck Combined Cycle Plant, a 620-megawatt natural gas facility. The combined cycle plant came on-line in late 2011. The approximately 150-acre Ash Basin system at Buck consists of three Basins. The Basins are designated as Primary Pond (also referred to as Basin 2 with 57.5 acres), the Additional Primary Pond (also referred to as Basin 1 with 71 acres), and the Secondary Pond (also referred to as Basin 3 with 21.5 acres). Basin 1 contains approximately 3.6 million tons of ash, Basin 2 contains approximately 2 million tons of ash, and Basin 3 contains approximately 864,000 tons of ash. An ash fill area also exists, containing approximately 235,200 tons of ash. Closure Plan Buck was chosen on October 5,2016,as an ash beneficiation site required by NC House Bill 630. Pursuant to NC House Bill 630,300,000 tons of ash from the site must be beneficiated to specifications appropriate for cementitious products each year. NC House Bill 630 also requires that sites with ash beneficiation products shall be closed no later than December 31, 2029. Excavation of ash from the Buck site for beneficial use will occur over multiple years. Construction activities began in April 2017. Ash removed from the site will be beneficiated by SEFA, with whom Duke Energy has entered into an agreement to process and sell ash from the Buck Ash Basins for use in the concrete industry. Decanting Status In compliance with this SOC, Duke Energy initiated design and procurement efforts in Q3 2018 for a decanting water treatment system at Buck. Purchase Orders were awarded in Q4 2018 for the civil pad and electrical infrastructure installations, as well as a Purchase Order for the OEM water treatment supplier. Wastewater flows were removed from the basin on February 7,2019. Following installation and commissioning of the decanting water treatment system, mechanical decanting of the basin commenced on March 25, 2019. Duke Energy provided advance notice for the projected start date of decanting to NCDEQon December 20,2018,as required by the NPDES Permit,and written notification for the Initiation of Decanting per the SOC on February 20, 2019. Buck: 1