Coal

TVA may move closed Allen Fossil coal ash to permitted landfills

The Tennessee Valley Authority has found potential homes for ash stored at a former coal-fired power plant it closed two years ago.

Coal ash stored at the former Allen Fossil Plant in Tennessee will be moved to an approved offsite landfill, according to the release. The TVA shut down the 741-MW power facility in March 2018.

The authority has identified six permitted landfills which could potentially accept coal ash from Allen. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates coal ash as a nonhazardous solid waste.

The TVA has not selected a specific site and will issue a request for proposals from the landfills. Each applicant would be required to offer environmental plans, project designs and a history of regulatory compliance.

The federal utility has released an environmental impact statement (EIS) on the Allen coal-ash scenario. The preferred alternative is removal of all coal ash.

Allen Fossil Plant generated electricity for 59 years beginning in 1959. Memphis Light, Gas and Water initially started the plant, while TVA operated from 1964 on and acquired it outright 20 years later.

The three coal-fired units were placed with the Allen Combined Cycle gas-fired plant that also includes a 1-MW solar farm.

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