Containment Failure Spurs Changes to Ash Hopper Systems
containment systems are transitioning from traditional ash-handling systems to more environmentally sound alternatives. This movement has created an opportunity for refractory solution providers to help with the transition, demolition, and installation of the updated ash-handling system.
About 10 years ago, power plants, specifically power plants that use coal, took notice of the risk of containment failure and started making ash system changes. In 2008, a containment failure in the ash pond of a power plant in the southeast U.S. released 1.1 billion gallons of coal fly ash slurry into 300 acres of the land surrounding the pond. The slurry ended up flowing into several local rivers. Cleanup from this devastating failure cost approximately $1.1 billion and eventually the lives of more than 30 people who participated in the cleanup effort. This incident, as well as other economic factors, have resulted in the transition to better ash-handling systems. These better systems eliminate the need for ash slurry ponds.