CHARLOTTE, NC, Feb. 23, 2015 -- Duke Energy recently announced that it has reached a proposed agreement with the U.S. government that, if approved, would close a federal investigation of its subsidiaries, Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Business Services, related to last year's Dan River coal ash spill (see "Duke Energy NC coal ash spill signifies third largest in U.S. history") as well as ash basin operations at other North Carolina coal plants.
The agreement, identifies nine misdemeanor violations of the Clean Water Act in connection with the spill and unauthorized discharges at Dan River Steam Station in Eden; maintenance issues at Cape Fear Steam Electric Plant in Moncure; and unauthorized discharges at Riverbend Steam Station in Mt. Holly, the H.F. Lee Steam Electric Plant in Goldsboro, and the Asheville Steam Electric Generating Plant in Skyland. The company is addressing each of the issues through facility improvements or new permitting.
The agreement would also require Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress to pay a total of $68.2 million in fines and restitution and $34 million for community service and mitigation. These payments will be borne by shareholders, not customers. Further, the agreement includes a five-year probationary period with a court-appointed monitor to ensure compliance with all provisions.
Duke Energy would also be required to submit environmental compliance plans to the court, including additional training, audits, reporting, and other measures related to ash basins. In addition, the company would create an evaluation and claims process to help towns modernize their water treatment systems if they have been impacted by increased bromides from environmental equipment installed at certain coal plants.
Duke Energy would guarantee the payment of the penalties and the performance of the environmental compliance plans. The full agreement will be made public if it is accepted by the court. If approved, the agreement would end the grand jury investigation of the company's practices at its North Carolina coal ash basins. The agreement is subject to review and approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
For a complete list of the company's overall actions as well as ongoing Dan River maintenance and cleanup activities, click here.
See also:
"New research shows Dan River in good condition one year after Duke Energy coal ash spill"
"Duke Energy forms $10M Water Resources Fund for waterways in Carolinas, neighboring states"
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