Coal Ash Ponds: Paying the Piper

Now that the wealthy have made their extremely gross returns, still wanting more, who do you think will be charged, now and into the future, to clean up, try and fix from coming possible disaster, or the disasters after they occur, why you and me and everyone but the executives and investors!

Upgrading ash ponds to cost Duke Energy $375M

November 8, 2010 - Duke Energy estimates it will cost $375 million to comply with expected new state and federal regulations on the disposal of coal ash and other plant combustion byproducts.

Duke expects to spend the money from now through 2013 to install liners and caps at existing ash ponds or convert to dry storage dumps.

About $128 million will be spent in the Carolinas, Duke says. The largest expense will be in Indiana, where the cost is pegged at $168 million. Fixing the ponds in Ohio will cost $79 million, the company says.

The EPA proposals made in May would regulate coal ash as either a hazardous material or as a non-hazardous material. But either way, the federal agency is proposing stricter requirements for storage of coal ash.

Several states are also considering stricter regulations. {read rest}