EDEN, N.C. – The company responsible for leaking more than 35,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River is working to find a safe place to permanently store the remaining 3 million tons of waste currently housed at the Dan River Steam Station.
Duke Energy gave WFMY News 2 a tour of the facility and an up-close look at the massive project.
Under the Coal Ash Management Act, Duke Energy is required to excavate and move its coal ash to fully lined landfills. Dan River Steam Station is considered a "high priority" location and must have the work completed by August 2019.
An estimated 1.3 million tons of coal ash will be moved to a lined landfill in Virginia. The remaining coal ash on site in Eden will be excavated and moved to a lined landfill built on site. According to Duke Energy, the fully lined landfills start below the ground with a clay liner that is then topped with a synthetic liner. On top of that is an additional layer, designed to collect and drain any water as the material is compacted. Once the landfill has received the specified quantity of coal ash, it will be sealed with a synthetic barrier, drainage layer and protective soil layer. Top soil and grass will then be placed on top.
After it's built, coal ash will be excavated from the two basins and moved to the on-site landfill.
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