When a fossil plant experiences a critical impoundment failure

TVA - Ash Pond Handling, Assessments, and Program Management

When the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Kingston site experienced a critical impoundment failure in 2009, they called on us for assistance. To remediate the damage—and prevent a similar event—TVA commissioned our team to help prevent any of their 60+ impoundments from failing and spilling millions of cubic yards of wet ash into the surrounding fields, streams, lakes, rivers, or communities.

We would execute a multi-phased coal combustion residual (CCR) facility assessment, as well as a mitigation program, at all 11 fossil plants. During the initial days of the response, we had to review conditions of wet CCR disposal operations at all 11 sites, report our findings, and recommend next steps. We immediately mobilized teams and completed the initial reconnaissance of over 60 impoundments within two weeks.

Through an accelerated schedule, our recommendations included a phased approach to fully-characterizing conditions, assessing structural stability, highlighting risk reduction measures, and implementing program management improvements. We set the program phases simultaneously and achieved the program goal of getting all active impounds to meet structural integrity metrics by the third quarter 2011.

The outcome? The program served as the beginning of a trusted relationship and established the framework for over 100 successful CCR infrastructure improvement projects.