The variability in hazardous waste generation can be
attributed in part to periodic maintenance activities at our electric
generating stations. We strive to minimize the amount of hazardous waste
generated and to protect the environment through full compliance with
all applicable waste regulations.
The graph provides hazardous waste data
from generation and gas operations.
Beneficial Use of
Coal Ash
Coal combustion byproducts (CCBs), primarily fly ash,
are generated at our fleet of coal-fired power plants. CCBs have been
used in numerous construction-related applications for many years, including
fill for construction projects and in mine reclamation, to name two examples.
Dominion has actively sought out beneficial uses for
our CCBs that are technically feasible and economically viable, to avoid using
up landfill capacity for ash disposal.
CCB reuse between 2000 and 2007 has increased significantly.
A portion of the increases in 2005 and 2006 reflects the additional reuse
of CCB's from the Salem Harbor and Brayton Point stations. More than 2 million
tons were reused in 2007.
Ash Management and Carbon Dioxide Co-Benefits
Dominion is installing Carbon Burn-out™ systems at
our Chesapeake Energy Center in Virginia and at our Brayton Point Station in
Massachusetts. As part of our ash management programs, these systems recover
the energy from the carbon-rich fly ash generated at our coal burning facilities
and produce an ash product suitable for beneficial reuse. In addition, energy,
which would otherwise be lost by landfilling of ash will be recovered, improving
power plant efficiency.
The system will reduce the carbon content and the ammonia
content in the fly ash we generate during the production of electricity. The
environmentally beneficial process will allow the sale and beneficial use of
the fly ash which otherwise would have to be land filled. In addition, the
recovered energy will be used for electricity production, offsetting the need
to burn approximately 38,000 tons per year of raw coal.
Combustion of the carbon-rich fly ash in the process will
yield the following environmental benefits:
Recovery of approximately 918,000 million Btu per year of
energy from the fly ash (equivalent to burning 38,000 tons of coal) which
otherwise would be lost;
Reduction of emissions to the atmosphere due to the reduction
in the amount of coal burned;
Collateral carbon dioxide reduction of up to 320,000 tons
per year by beneficially using processed ash to displace equivalent tonnages
of Portland cement production; and
Avoided disposal to landfill of up to 370,000 tons of ash
per year.
Remediation
The company is one of a number of Potentially Responsible
Parties (PRPs) at two Superfund sites located in Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Historically, company waste was shipped for disposal at one site and recycling
at the other. In October 2003, the EPA issued its Certificate of Completion
of remediation for the Kentucky site. At the Pennsylvania site, the site remediation
plan, developed by the PRPs in cooperation with EPA, has been approved.
