Georgia Power announced today that the company is developing a closure timeline for all of its 29 ash ponds and expects to finalize and release the schedule within the next six months. The schedule will be developed in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's costly Coal Combustion Residual Rule as well as the soon-to-be signed Steam Electric Effluent Limitation Guidelines. The company will consult with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the Georgia Public Service Commission to develop the plan.

"We are developing an ash pond closure timeline that will meet all federal regulations in the most economical way for our customers and our business," said Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "Safety and compliance will continue to be our primary focus throughout the closure process, while fulfilling our longstanding commitment to protect the environment and the communities we serve." 

Georgia Power has a strong safety and compliance record with a comprehensive and rigorous inspection program to safely maintain its containment structures and facilitate long-term planning. The company is in the pre-closure process at several retired or converted coal-fired generation sites which includes some preliminary site work such as ash relocation and tree clearing, as well as considering vendors for potential closure activities.

The company's 29 ash ponds are located around 11 coal plants across the state – Plant Bowen (Euharlee), Plant Branch (Eatonton), Plant Hammond (Coosa), Plant Kraft (Port Wentworth), Plant McDonough (Smyrna), Plant McIntosh (Rincon), Plant McManus (Brunswick), Plant Mitchell (Albany), Plant Scherer (Macon), Plant Wansley (Carrollton), and Plant Yates (Newnan).

The company delivers clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through a diverse generation mix including nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewable sources such as solar and wind. As the company has increased its use of natural gas, renewable and other non-coal sources of generation over the past decade, its production of coal ash and other byproducts has significantly declined, and it now recycles more than 50 percent of its current production.

The Georgia Chamber supports Georgia Power’s announcement today that it is proactively moving to close all ash ponds associated with its power generation activities across Georgia.
 
“Georgia Power has a long and distinguished history of delivering high quality, safe, reliable and affordable energy supplies to businesses, industries and communities across the state and this decision exemplifies that tradition,” said Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark.
 
The Chamber is confident that through this decision, Georgia Power will continue to proactively position its business to satisfy Georgia’s current and forecast energy needs.
 
This decision will continue to position the state as a national leader in the provision of environmentally responsible and diverse energy supplies.
 
While supporting this Georgia Power decision, the Chamber is concerned with the continued endeavors of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose layers of costly regulations on the nation’s energy sector.
 
Each additional regulation adds upward pressure to energy costs and become an additional burden on industry, pressuring industry profitability and competitiveness.