Through the collaboration, millions of tons of coal ash would be harvested from Plant Barry and recycled to make construction materials, like concrete, across the Southeast. 

Since dry ash became available for reuse at Plant Barry in 2018, more than 680,000 tons of coal ash has been beneficially used from the site. Alabama Power said the collaboration with Eco Material Technologies expands the ability to do so.

In recent years, demand for using coal ash to produce concrete has outpaced production.

Eco Material Technologies and its predecessor companies have previously worked with Alabama Power to recycle coal ash from other coal-fired plants, including Plants Gaston, Gorgas and Miller. More than 12 million tons of coal ash has been sold and recycled from these three facilities.

At Barry, coal ash will be prepared for recycling using an on-site processing facility constructed, operated and maintained by Eco Material. The new facility is expected to be in service by January 2026. 

Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal in power plants that, without proper management, can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water and the air. Coal ash contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic associated with cancer and various other serious health effects.

Last May the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule that would require the safe management of coal ash dumped in areas that are currently unregulated at the federal level.

These areas include inactive power plants with coal ash ponds no longer being used and historical coal ash disposal areas at plants with regulated coal ash units. The proposal, announced by the EPA on May 17, is not expected to affect current power plant operations.

Barry 8 officially began operating Nov. 1, following final testing. The combined-cycle unit features Mitsubishi Power equipment and can generate up to 727 MW.

Construction of Barry 8 started in 2021 following approval by state regulators. Alabama Power said construction teams devoted more than two million work hours to Barry 8.

Combined with the other generating units at the site, Plant Barry’s total generating capacity is now 3,246 MW, making it the largest plant in Alabama Power’s system.

Plant Barry was at the center of a recent waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) giving Southern Company the ability to perform drone inspections at the utility’s power plants and other facilities without the need for someone onsite.

For a year, Southern Co. used Plant Barry in Alabama as the test site to capture data and prove to the FAA this technology could be used safely. The utility called the latest development a “huge step” in advancing autonomous and remote operations at scale.

Alabama Power plans to close its oldest electric power plant, the Gadsden Steam Plant, after 109 years. The retirement date is set for Jan. 1.

The utility said cost and efficiency drove it to retire the plant’s two 70-year-old units.

When it was built, Plant Gadsden’s ability to produce 10,000 KWh made it the largest electric generating facility in the state. The original Gadsden produced electricity until 1952. A new plant was built on the site and began operation in 1949. The units were built with the ability to use coal or natural gas to generate electricity.

Plant Gadsden has run on coal, natural gas and switchgrass during its lifetime. In 2015, the company begins fully using natural gas as its fuel source.  

Alabama Power said no job losses from the plant retirement are expected.

Alabama Power has officially acquired the Calhoun Generating Facility in an effort to improve reliability.

The Calhoun facility, located in Eastaboga, Alabama, includes four simple cycle combustion turbine units that can operate on either gas or oil, having onsite oil storage as a backup fuel source. Constructed in 2003-2004, the units have a combined maximum generation capacity of 743 MW.

Alabama Power officially took over plant ownership on Sept. 30. The acquisition of the plant by the utility was approved by the Alabama Public Service Commission following a thorough hearing and review process. Costs associated with the acquisition will be recovered through cost recovery mechanisms set by the commission.

In its petition to state regulators in 2021, Alabama Power said the company has a “reliability-driven need for additional resources in the winter from 2022 through 2025 and from 2028 forward.”

Calhoun was formerly owned by Harbert Power Fund V, LLC, an affiliate of Harbert Management Corporation. All the employees working at the plant have joined Alabama Power as the company takes over operations.

According to the petition, the acquisition of Calhoun would fill the capacity need resulting from the retirement of the James M. Barry coal-fired Unit 5 at the end of 2023.