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Waste Performance |
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| Hazardous Waste 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. |
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| 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. |
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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.