Sources: Charah Solutions Inc., Louisville, Ky.; CP staff
Charah Solutions has secured a beneficiation and marketing contract involving up to 8.1 million tons of ponded ash at Dominion Energy’s coal-fired Chesterfield Power Station in Chester, Va.
Processing and transportation infrastructure installation this year will facilitate rail transfer of beneficiated ash to portland cement plants across the eastern U.S.
The Charah product will replace other currently utilized virgin raw materials to fire the kilns and contribute binder elements or compounds to the cement clinker. Such raw feed substitution will equate to a lower carbon dioxide emissions factor per ton of output—a metric cement producers increasingly prioritize for their environmental profiles. Charah is equipped for efficient raw feed distribution through its MultiSource network of ash terminals and transfer points.
Legislation passed during the 2019 Virginia General Assembly gives Richmond-based Dominion Energy 15 years to remove approximately 15 million cubic yards of coal ash currently stored in two Chesterfield Power Station ponds. The material must be recycled or placed in a lined landfill that meets federal and Virginia guidelines for coal combustion residuals (CCR) impoundment. To meet the standards mandated in Virginia Senate Bill 1355, Dominion Energy has contracted with Charah for ash utilization efforts effective 2021 through 2032. The utility operator will store the remaining CCR in a lined landfill adjacent to the ponds.
“Charah Solutions is nationally recognized in the power generation industry as a total solutions company, providing unparalleled service and innovation to meet the evolving and increasingly complex needs of our utility partners,” says CEO Scott Sewell. “Many utilities, like Dominion Energy, are experiencing an increased need to retire and decommission older generating assets while improving the environment. We have been proud to partner with Dominion Energy on their sustainability efforts and are delighted to extend our relationship at this site for the next 12 years.”
“Charah Solutions is a leader in environmental and maintenance services and we look forward to partnering with them for the removal and beneficial reuse of coal ash at Chesterfield Power Station in a manner that is protective of the community and human health,” adds Dominion Energy Vice President of Project Construction Brandon Stites.
