STOKES COUNTY, N.C. — Big changes are happening at the Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County.
The coal-powered station is operated by Duke Energy and Powers millions of Triad residents.
Those changes are all designed to better the environment and protect Belews Lake all while enhancing the infrastructure with the steam station, set to retire in a little more than a decade.
The most critical change is a newly lined landfill designed to hold tons of coal ash.
That ash is the remnants of coal that is burned to provide electricity.
Nearly 12 million tons of ash are slowly being moved and isolated in the new landfill.
The state ordered Duke Energy to move all of its coal ash to the lined landfills after tens of thousands of gallons of coal ash spilled into the Dan River back in 2014.
The new landfill will not hold any of the coal ash currently being created by the power plant.
Most of it is now being recycled into building materials and what is not recycled is now being placed in another landfill on the property.
The newly lined landfill will prevent any of the contaminants from the ash from entering the groundwater and protect the areas drinking water.
"All the existing coal ash was all here in the basin. It wasn’t impacting neighbors, [it] was not impacting water supplies, but for the long-term protection, we need to get a liner underneath, so that’s what a landfill allows," said Bill Norton with Duke Energy.
The coal ash has been generated by this steam station for over four decades.
However, the iconic lakeside power generator is set to retire in 2035.
Duke Energy said it could take up to 10 years to fully construct what will eventually power the next generation.
"We’re looking at something that will take advantage of the infrastructure that’s already here. The transmission it’s already here. So, more likely, we’re talking about small modular, nuclear, or new natural gas that is hydrogen capable. If we did nuclear, that would be about 250 to 500 jobs versus the 140 that are here right now so it would be a good boost for the local economy," Norton shared.
The process to move the residual coal ash into the four newly lined basins will last into the next decade.
Duke Energy said they will submit plans for the new power plant to the state in August 2023 with the expectation to have plans finalized in 2025.