New project with Eco Material Technologies calls for coal ash
to be removed at Plant Bowen and beneficially used for construction
materials such as concrete
ATLANTA, June 29,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power announced
today a landmark coal ash beneficial use project at Plant Bowen
near Cartersville, Georgia, where
millions of tons of stored ash will be excavated for use in
concrete to construct bridges, roads, and buildings in Georgia – and throughout the Southeast. The
project will be the single largest beneficial use project of its
kind in the U.S., and the largest ever for Georgia Power.
"Georgia Power is always researching and exploring new and
innovative ways to reuse coal ash that is beneficial to our
customers and our communities. Finding and securing these
opportunities to beneficially use coal ash will not only reduce and
save space in landfills, but will also serve as a financial tool to
help offset the cost of ash pond closures for our customers," said
Aaron Mitchell, vice president of
Environmental Affairs for Georgia Power. "As the largest project of
its kind in this country, this project at Plant Bowen is historic
for our company, and our entire industry, and we see the potential
to expand beneficial use projects further in the future."
Today, Georgia Power already recycles 85% of all ash and gypsum,
including more than 90% of fly ash, it produces from operations for
various beneficial uses such as concrete production as well as
other construction products.
Eco Material Technologies, the leading producer of sustainable
cementitious materials and cement replacement products, will manage
the project at Plant Bowen, including the end use of the excavated
coal ash. 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 use of stored
coal ash also helps reduce the need for raw materials otherwise
used in production.
"As the largest partnership of its kind in the U.S., this
project will not only use material from landfills and ash ponds,
but also keep millions of tons of CO2 from going into the
atmosphere," said Grant Quasha, CEO
of Eco Material Technologies. "The harvested material will be used
in concrete to make stronger and longer lasting bridges and roads
and serve as a model for helping forward thinking utilities like
Georgia Power and Southern Company close landfills and ash
ponds, while building a greener and more sustainable planet."
Georgia Power continues to seek to identify opportunities for
the beneficial use of coal ash stored at active and retired
coal-fired power plants across the state. This will allow the
company to continue to partner with qualified participants, such as
Eco Material Technologies, to ensure innovative and cost-effective
solutions are selected as part of ash pond closures to benefit
Georgia Power customers.
"As concrete manufacturers continue to work to achieve carbon
neutrality in production, and power companies seek modern and
innovative solutions for beneficial use of coal ash, this voluntary
project in Georgia is a model for
the industry, directly responding to both market and environmental
needs," said Tom Adams, executive
director of the American Coal Ash Association. "With the nationwide
focus on improving American infrastructure including roads and
bridges, demand for materials continues to outpace available
supply, and collaborative projects such as this will be critical to
bridging that gap in the future."
Infrastructure installation to accommodate the work at Plant
Bowen will begin immediately, with ash removal expected to begin by
2024 and increasing to 600,000 tons of ash per year to be removed
from the ash pond and landfill at Plant Bowen. The final amount of
coal ash harvested and used under this project is expected to be 9
million tons in total.
Ash Beneficial Use
Center
Georgia Power recently partnered with Southern Company Research
and Development and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to
open a research facility at Plant Bowen – the Ash Beneficial Use
Center - to identify, test and speed the development of beneficial
uses of coal ash. The facility allows for pilot projects and
testing of technologies to continue to increase the recycling and
use of coal ash.
The research center is 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 2.7 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 recognized by J.D. Power
as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more
information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the
company on Facebook (Facebook.com/Georgia Power), Twitter
(Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram
(Instagram.com/ga_power).
About Eco Material
Technologies
Eco Material Technologies is the leading producer of sustainable
cement alternatives in the U.S., serving over 4,000 unique customer
locations from its 100+ sites across 45 states. The Company is the
leading marketer and distributor of fly ash, with an approximately
50% volume share in the U.S. and the industry's only true national
footprint of logistics networks and distribution channels. Eco
Material also has a patented technology to convert fly ash and
other materials into innovative, near-zero carbon building
materials that react faster, match the one-day performance of, and
after 28 days are approximately 20% stronger than traditional
cement, all while reducing by approximately 99% the CO2
emissions that are traditionally associated with cement production.
The Company also provides mission-critical utility services,
including operations support, waste disposal, and environmental
remediation. For more information, visit www.ecomaterial.com.
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SOURCE Georgia Power