The Savannah River Site expects to complete its coal ash remediation project in early 2019, according to the Department of Energy.
The $74 million cleanup project involves burying 1.3 million cubic yards of ash now stored on 90 acres of land at the Department of Energy facility in South Carolina. The ash was generated by coal-fueled facilities used to power the site from the 1950s to 2011.
Specifically, the goal for SRS is to clean and close out two basins that now store the coal ash, along with a water runoff basin that is used to flush out excess coal and contaminated soil. Then, an ash landfill and one of the original basins will be used to permanently consolidate and store the material, and a protective layer will be placed on top of the structures.
In the May update, the site said it had completed usage of the 489-D Coal Pile Runoff Basin. In August 2016, the basin began discharging water from the runoff basin so workers could remove excess coal and contaminated soil. Now, the material will be placed in 488-1D, one of the storage basins, where it will be covered. “Ash consolidation work is underway in the 488-1D basin in preparation for a geosynthetic cover. The projected completion date for 488-1D is January 2019,” SRS said.
The site wrapped up Phase 1 of the project last year, which included completion of the 488-4D Ash Landfill, a 17-acre facility within the 210-acre D Area Operable Unit. SRS also completed ash removal from the 488-2D basin. The ash was then consolidated into 488-4D and a geosynthetic layer of protection, made up of a dirt and clay mixture, was placed over the top to keep the material from posing a human or environmental threat, and preventing rain from seeping through into the ash.
DOE announced 2011 that it was shutting down its coal operations at Savannah River in favor of cleaner, energy-efficient technology, and did eventually shut down operations in 2012. The change prevents the site from having to purchase 160,000 tons of coal each year, and also reduces annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 100,000 tons. Then, in 2014, SRS said it would rehabilitate the 90-acre plot by removing tens of millions of gallons of water and all of the coal ash.
