Waste

Hazardous Waste

The graph provides hazardous waste data from generation and gas operations.The variability in hazardous waste generation can be attributed in part to periodic maintenance activities at our electric generating stations.

We strive to minimize the amount of hazardous waste generated and to protect the environment through full compliance with all applicable waste regulations.

Beneficial Use of Coal Ash

Coal combustion byproducts (CCBs), primarily fly ash, are generated at our fleet of coal-fired power plants. CCBs have been used in numerous applications for many years, including use in concrete and in mine reclamation, to name two examples.

Dominion has actively sought out beneficial uses for our CCBs that are technically feasible and economically viable, to avoid using up landfill capacity for ash disposal.

CCB reuse varies; however, reuse has generally increased since 2000. A portion of the increases in 2005 and 2006 reflects the additional reuse of CCB's from the Salem Harbor and Brayton Point stations. Around 1.4 million tons were reused in 2010.
 

Ash Management and Carbon Dioxide Co-Benefits

Dominion is installing Carbon Burn-out™ systems at our Chesapeake Energy Center in Virginia and at our Brayton Point Station in Massachusetts. As part of our ash management programs, these systems recover the energy from the carbon-rich fly ash generated at our coal burning facilities and produce an ash product suitable for beneficial reuse. In addition, energy, which would otherwise be lost by landfilling of ash will be recovered, improving power plant efficiency.

The system will reduce the carbon content and the ammonia content in the fly ash we generate during the production of electricity. The environmentally beneficial process will allow the sale and beneficial use of the fly ash which otherwise would have to be land filled. In addition, the recovered energy will be used for electricity production, offsetting the need to burn approximately 38,000 tons per year of raw coal.

Combustion of the carbon-rich fly ash in the process will yield the following environmental benefits:

• Recovery of approximately 918,000 million Btu per year of energy from the fly ash (equivalent to burning 38,000 tons of coal) which otherwise would be lost;
• Reduction of emissions to the atmosphere due to the reduction in the amount of coal burned;
• Collateral carbon dioxide reduction of up to 320,000 tons per year by beneficially using processed ash to displace equivalent tonnages of Portland cement production; and
• Avoided disposal to landfill of up to 370,000 tons of ash per year.
   

Remediation

The company is one of a number of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) at three Superfund sites located in Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Historically, company waste was shipped for disposal at two sites and recycling at the other.

In October 2003, the EPA issued its Certificate of Completion of remediation for the Kentucky site. At the Virginia site, the site remediation plan has been implemented and long-term monitoring continues. The site remediation plan, developed by the PRPs in cooperation with EPA, has been approved at the Pennsylvania site.