By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – Progress Energy says it wants to build a landfill in New Hanover County to store the ash left over from its coal-burning power plant.
The landfill would be located on the company's property on Sutton Steam Plant Road.
The landfill is designed to store ash from Progress Energy's power plant in New Hanover County. Documents submitted to the county show the landfill would take up 44 acres on a 175-acre tract of land near the plant.
Progress Energy is currently storing ash from its coal-burning plant in two ponds on the property, one of which is lined.
Company spokesperson Rick Kimbel says this dry ash landfill would be a first for Progress Energy.
At the Sutton Plant the ash ponds are getting close to capacity. And if you want the plant to remain reliable and continue to produce electricity, you've got to find a way to store the by-product, which is the ash.
Progress Energy operates nine coal-powered plants in the southeast.
Kimbel says ash for the landfill would only come from the New Hanover County plant.
Click here to view map of proposed landfill.
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