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Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) - Surface Impoundments with High Hazard Potential Ratings

EPA has undertaken a concerted effort to identify and to assess the structural integrity of impoundments, ponds, and other management units, within the electric power generating industry, managing wet-handled coal combustion residuals or CCRs.

In response to an EPA information request on units managing wet-handled CCRs in 2009, electric utilities identified a total of 676 units managing slurried CCRs at 240 facilities. In this initial information, forty-five (45) of these units at 27 different locations were identified by the utilities as High Hazard Potential units.  This rating was assigned using a variety of criteria and was often assigned by either the State or the utility itself.

As part of the EPA’s national effort to assess the management of CCRs, EPA hired contractors who were experts in the structural integrity field.  EPA and its contractors performed on-site assessments and EPA released the draft and final contractor reports assessing the structural integrity of impoundments and similar management units containing coal combustion residuals, commonly referred to as "coal ash", at coal fired power plants. All of the impoundments have been given Hazard Potential ratings (i.e., Less-than-Low, Low, Significant, High) by the EPA contractor. These Hazard Potential Classifications are not related to the stability of the impoundments but rather to the potential for harm should the impoundment fail. For additional information on specific impoundments at facilities, see final reports for facilities at EPA’s CCR Dam Assessment Web page.

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This update provides for the inclusion of the final assessment round, Round 12, of the listed High Hazard Potential units. Round 12 has one unit that is listed as High Hazard Potential. Round 12 units may not have an initial Hazard Potential Classification by state’s or utilities because they did not receive an information request from EPA in 2009. These units were identified by EPA's Office of Water's information request for the steam electric power generating point source effluent limitations guidelines (ELG) rulemaking. See more information on this rulemaking.

EPA's Hazard Potential ratings in the draft and final assessment reports are based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Hazard Potential Classification System for Dams. EPA's adoption of FEMA’s Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Hazard Potential Classification System for Dams was to ensure that there would be a nationally consistent hazard rating assessment protocol used for all assessed units.

EPA acknowledges that many states have developed and adopted their own Hazard Potential Classification criteria. The public should be aware that in many instances, the state Hazard Potential Classification criteria may differ from EPA's adoption of FEMA's Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Hazard Potential Classification System for Dams.

As a result of the CCR Dam Assessment effort, EPA has identified 50 units at 32 different facilities as High Hazard Potential units based on EPA's adoption of FEMA's Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Hazard Potential Classification System for Dams. EPA acknowledges that initial Hazard Potential ratings from EPA’s 2009 information request may have been revised as a result of site-specific assessments. For example, some units initially identified by utilities as having a High, Significant, and Low Hazard Potential were revised by EPA to a lower Hazard Potential as a result of site-specific factors and information. Similarly, Significant and Low Hazard Potential ratings by utilities could be lowered subsequent to EPA's CCR Dam Assessment. Conversely, some units initially identified as Less-than-Low, Low, Significant, or unrated had their Hazard Potential Classification increased to a higher rating based on the CCR Dam Assessment effort.

A revised listing of High Hazard Potential Units based on the Assessment effort is presented in the table below. This information is current as of July 2014.

List of High Hazard Potential Units
Company Facility Name Unit Name Location/State Contact Original Hazard Potential Rating (As Reported in Responses to EPA's Information Request) Current Hazard Potential Rating (Based on EPA's CCR Dam Assessment Effort) Assessment Round
Alabama Power Co Ernest C. Gaston Electric Generating Plant Ash Pond Dam Wilsonville, AL
NONE
HIGH
5
Allegheny Energy Pleasants Power Station McElroy's Run Embankment Willow Island, WV
HIGH
HIGH
3
American Electric Power Big Sandy Fly Ash Louisa, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
American Electric Power Cardinal Fly Ash Reservoir 2 Brilliant, OH
HIGH
HIGH
2
American Electric Power General James M Gavin Fly Ash Pond Cheshire, OH
HIGH
HIGH
1
American Electric Power General James M Gavin Bottom Ash Pond Cheshire,OH
HIGH
HIGH
1
American Electric Power John E Amos Fly Ash Pond St. Albans, WV
HIGH
HIGH
2
American Electric Power Mitchell Fly Ash Pond Moundsville, WV
HIGH
HIGH
2
American Electric Power Muskingum River Unit 5 Bottom Ash Pond (Lower Fly Ash Pond) Waterford, OH
HIGH
HIGH
3
American Electric Power Muskingum River Upper Fly Ash Pond Waterford, OH
HIGH
HIGH
3
American Electric Power Muskingum River Middle Fly Ash Pond Waterford, OH
HIGH
HIGH
3
American Electric Power Philip Sporn Fly Ash Pond New Haven,WV
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
2
American Electric Power Tanners Creek Fly Ash Pond Lawrenceburg, IN
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Ash Pond 4 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Ash Pond 1 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Ash Pond 3 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Scrubber Pond 2 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Scrubber Pond 1 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Evaporation 1 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Electric Pwr Coop Inc Apache Station Combustion Waste Disposal Facility Ash Pond 2 Cochise, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Public Service Co Cholla Bottom Ash Pond Joseph City, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
Arizona Public Service Co Cholla Fly Ash Pond Joseph City, AZ
HIGH
HIGH
2
City of Columbia Columbia Ash Settling Pond Columbia, MO
N/A
HIGH
12
City of Sikeston Sikeston Power Station Bottom Ash Pond Sikeston, MO
NONE
HIGH
4
Dayton Power & Light Co Killen Station Bottom Ash Pond Manchester, OH
LOW, CLASS I
HIGH
10
Dayton Power & Light Co Killen Station Fly Ash Pond Manchester, OH
LOW, CLASS I
HIGH
10
Duke Energy Corp Allen Steam Plant Active Ash Pond Belmont, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Belews Creek Steam Station Active Ash Pond Walnut Cove, NC
HIGH
HIGH
2
Duke Energy Corp Buck New Primary Pond Spencer, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Buck Secondary Pond Spencer, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Buck Primary Pond Spencer, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Dan River Secondary Pond Eden, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Dan River Primary Pond Eden, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Marshall Steam Station Active Ash Pond Terrell, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Riverbend Primary Pond Mount Holly, NC
HIGH
SIGNIFICANT
1
Duke Energy Corp Riverbend Secondary Pond Mount Holly, NC
HIGH
HIGH
1
Dynegy Midwest Generation Inc Havana East Ash Pond Havana, IL
HIGH
HIGH
1
Dynegy Midwest Generation Inc Wood River East Ash Pond (2 cells) Alton, IL
HIGH
HIGH
1
First Energy Generation Corp Bruce Mansfield Little Blue Run Dam Shippingport, PA
HIGH
HIGH
3
Georgia Power Plant Branch E Milledgeville, GA
HIGH
HIGH
3
Georgia Power Plant McDonough Ash Pond 4 Symra, GA
HIGH
HIGH
4
Indianapolis Power & Light Co Eagle Valley Generating Station D Pond Martinsville, IN
NONE
HIGH
4
Indianapolis Power & Light Co Harding Street Power Station Pond 2 Indianaplois, IN
NONE
HIGH
4
Indianapolis Power & Light Co Harding Street Power Station Pond 4 Indianapolis, IN
NONE
HIGH
4
Kentucky Utilities Co E W Brown Auxiliary Pond Harrodsburg, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
Kentucky Utilities Co E W Brown Ash Pond Harrodsburg, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
Kentucky Utilities Co Ghent Gypsum Stacking Facility Ghent, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
Kentucky Utilities Co Ghent Ash Pond Basin 1 Ghent, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
Kentucky Utilities Co Ghent Ash Pond Basin 2 Ghent, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
Louisville Gas & Electric Co Cane Run Ash Pond Louisville, KY
HIGH
HIGH
3
Louisville Gas & Electric Co Mill Creek Ash Pond Louisville, KY
SIGNIFICANT
HIGH
2
Northern Indiana Pub Serv Co R. M. Schahfer Power Station Final Settling Basin Wheatfield, IN
NONE
HIGH
4
Northern Indiana Pub Serv Co R. M. Schahfer Power Station Intake Settling Basin Wheatfield, IN
NONE
HIGH
4
Ohio Valley Electric Corp Kyger Creek Station Bottom Ash Pond Gallipolis, OH
SIGNIFICANT
HIGH
3
Ohio Valley Electric Corp Kyger Creek Station South Fly Ash Pond Gallipolis, OH
SIGNIFICANT
HIGH
3
PPL Generation Martins Creek Ash Basin 4 Bangor, PA
SIGNIFICANT
HIGH
2
PPL Montana LLC Colstrip Steam Electric Station Units 1 & 2 Stage Evaporation Ponds (STEP) Colstrip, MT
HIGH
HIGH
1
Progress Energy Carolinas Inc Asheville 1982 Pond Arden, NC
HIGH
HIGH
1
Progress Energy Carolinas Inc Asheville 1964 Pond Arden, NC
HIGH
HIGH
1
Sunbury Generation LLC WPS Energy Services Sunbury Generating Station Residual Waste Ash Basin No. 1 Shamokin Dam, PA
NONE
HIGH
4

 

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