ATLANTA, March 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power
today announced a new beneficial reuse project for coal ash stored
at Plant Mitchell, a retired coal-fired power station near
Albany, Georgia. The project at
Plant Mitchell marks the first time that stored ash from existing
ash ponds at sites in Georgia will
be excavated for beneficial reuse as part of an ash pond
closure project.
"As part of our ash pond closure efforts, Georgia Power is
always looking for opportunities to reuse coal ash that are
beneficial for our customers and communities," said Dr.
Mark Berry, vice president of
Environmental & Natural Resources for Georgia Power. "The coal
ash beneficial reuse project at Plant Mitchell will save space in
landfills and ultimately serve to help produce a valuable
product."
With the Plant Mitchell project, approximately two million tons
of stored coal ash will be removed from the existing ash ponds for
reuse in Portland cement manufacturing beginning this year.
Today, the company already recycles more than 85 percent of all
ash and gypsum, including more than 95 percent of fly ash, it
produces from current operations for various beneficial reuses such
as concrete production as well as other construction products.
Coal ash has been demonstrated to provide significant value to
certain products, such as concrete, in which it adds strength and
durability. Opportunities for beneficial reuse of stored coal ash
could help produce millions of tons of Portland Cement, concrete
and other products, which would also reduce the need for raw
materials otherwise used in production.
Plant Mitchell was retired in 2016 following approval by the
Georgia Public Service Commission through the company's 2016
Integrated Resource Plan. At completion of the project, the ash
pond site will be restored as a useable property.
Beneficial Reuse Request for Proposal (RFP)
Earlier
this year, Georgia Power announced it is seeking to identify
opportunities for the beneficial reuse of coal ash stored at active
and retired coal-fired power plants across the state. Georgia Power
is reviewing responses to the RFP the company issued early this
year. The next steps will be to issue the RFP details to qualified
participants, likely to occur by the end of April, with the company
continuing to explore additional beneficial reuse
opportunities.
Ash Beneficial Use Center
Georgia Power is partnering
with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to open a
research facility in 2020, the Ash Beneficial Use Center, to
identify, test and speed the development of beneficial uses of coal
ash. The facility will be located at Georgia Power's Plant Bowen
and will allow for pilot projects and testing of technologies to
continue to increase the recycling and reuse of coal ash.
The research center will be a collaborative project with other
electric power utilities through EPRI, an independent, non-profit
organization with members in 35 countries, and the center will be
available for research projects by EPRI, utilities, technology
developers, and academia.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest
electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's
premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and
Stewardship are the cornerstones of the Company's promise to 2.6
million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to
delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates
below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse,
innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural
gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind.
Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its
customers every day and the Company is consistently recognized by
J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer
satisfaction. For more information, visit
www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the Company on Facebook
(Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and
Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Certain information contained in
this release is forward-looking information based on current
expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties.
Forward-looking information includes, among other things,
statements concerning the method and timing of planned closure of
coal ash ponds. Georgia Power Company cautions that there are
certain factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking information that has been
provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this
forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future
performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other
factors, many of which are outside the control of Georgia Power
Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested
results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to
those discussed in Georgia Power Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and
subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ
materially from management expectations as suggested by such
forward-looking information: the impact of recent and future
federal and state regulatory changes, including environmental laws
and regulations and tax and other laws and regulations to which
Georgia Power Company is subject, as well as changes in application
of existing laws and regulations; current and future litigation or
regulatory investigations, proceedings, or inquiries; the ability
to control costs and avoid cost and schedule overruns during the
development, construction and operation of facilities; the ability
to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of
permits and licenses and to satisfy any environmental performance
standards; state and federal rate regulations and the impact of
pending and future rate cases and negotiations; catastrophic events
such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, tornadoes,
hurricanes and other storms, droughts, pandemic health events, or
other similar occurrences; and the effect of accounting
pronouncements issued periodically by standard-setting
bodies. Georgia Power Company expressly disclaims any
obligation to update any forward-looking information.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgia-powers-beneficial-reuse-project-at-plant-mitchell-will-turn-stored-coal-ash-into-portland-cement-301032685.html
SOURCE Georgia Power