Mon Power and Potomac Edison Improve Wastewater Treatment Process at West Virginia Power Plants
- The environmental upgrades demonstrate FirstEnergy's commitment to minimizing environmental impact and promoting a sustainable future.
- The projects will reduce wastewater and improve the treatment process, protecting aquatic ecosystems.
- None.
Video and soundbites explaining the environmental upgrades are available for download
The environmental upgrades at Fort Martin Power Station in
Currently, water from nearby streams is used to wash coal ash from the bottom of the plants' furnaces for disposal. When the projects are complete, the ash will instead be ground into smaller pieces and fall onto conveyor belts for removal. The new process will create less wastewater, which must undergo careful treatment before it can be safely discharged back into the river to ensure the protection of aquatic ecosystems.
"Moving the ash in a mechanical manner will reduce the amount of water that touches ash and then therefore needs to be processed at each plant," said Adam Hoalcraft, a consulting engineer at Harrison Power Station. "The project aligns with FirstEnergy's mission to protect and preserve the natural environment and to promote a sustainable future for the customers and communities we serve."
The upgrades include construction of conveyor belts that will transport coal ash to a new three-sided concrete structure on each plant's grounds. From there, the dry ash will be loaded into trucks to be taken to the companies' existing licensed disposal site nearby. The companies plan to finish the projects by the end of 2025.
The Public Service Commission of
The upgrades support the continued operation of Fort Martin and Harrison until their anticipated retirement dates of 2035 and 2040, respectively. The two plants generate 3,080 megawatts of power combined.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34
Potomac Edison serves about 275,000 customers in seven counties in
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in
Editor's Note: Video and soundbites explaining the environmental upgrades are available for download on Flickr.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mon-power-and-potomac-edison-improve-wastewater-treatment-process-at-west-virginia-power-plants-301923556.html
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.