DECOMMISSIONING,
REMEDIATION AND
REDEVELOPMENT
Many coal-fired power plants are expected to
close in coming years. Coal plant communities
are faced with potentially long-term job and
tax revenue loss, legacy environmental
contamination and the need for new economic
opportunities.
Site reuse options inform
cleanup decisions and
should be developed early
in the process to determine
the appropriate level of work
needed for redevelopment.
Understanding the range
of reuse options will help
in the development of
realistic schedules and
cost estimates.
Preparing a site for reuse often is a complex, multi-year process that
includes decommissioning the existing power plant, cleaning up
contamination (e.g., in materials, soil and ground water), and creating
and implementing a redevelopment plan. Local leadership that is
committed to public involvement and the establishment of a balanced
and inclusive stakeholder group can guide the process by considering
the many factors and unique conditions of a coal plant site, along with
the community's redevelopment goals.
EPA prepared this fact sheet to help communities that may be affected
by the closure of coal-fired power plants. Fact sheets covering
stakeholder identification and facilitation, as well as financing options
and incentives, are also available.
STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT THROUGHOUT
Announce
closing and stop
power production.
Decommissioning
Remove equipment
and materials.
Close or comply with
permits, as necessary.
Demolish buildings.
Clean up
contamination to
support new use.
Redevelopment
Construct new
site. Maintain
environmental
controls.
The Process
After a plant shuts down, the site will progress through decommissioning,
remediation and redevelopment. Though it is not always possible, it
helps to know site reuse options early in the process to inform cleanup
decisions and determine the appropriate level of work needed in
each stage of the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment process.
Understanding the range of reuse options and needs associated
with each will help in the development of realistic schedules and cost
estimates. Time and costs associated with permits, approvals (of
permits, plans, funding) and public involvement should be factored into
redevelopment plans as well.
r/EFft
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Coal Plant Decommissioning
Plant Decommissioning, Remediation and Redevelopment
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Typical Environmental
Permits at Coal-Fired
Power Plants
Air pollution control
Water withdrawal for cooling
Water discharge
Hazardous waste storage
Fuel storage tanks
Flue gas stack (Federal
Aviation Administration)
Common Cleanup Methods
at Coal-Fired Plants
Although the extent of the
cleanup will depend on the
final land use, many common
methods are applied. For
example:
Asbestos, PCBs and other
hazardous materials are
removed from the buildings.
Coal ash disposal areas are
removed or capped with a
protective cover of soil to
ensure the waste is
not accessible.
Fuel tanks and any
associated contaminated
soil are removed.
Concrete pads and soil
around old transformers
and hydraulic equipment
are tested for PCBs and
removed if necessary.
Surface soil is tested for
mercury and other airborne
contaminants and removed
if necessary.
Soil around spills and leaks
is tested and removed.
Sites with old manufactured
gas plants could contain
coal tar and other
hazardous materials,
which require special
methods for cleanup.
Environmental permits typically specify actions to take before, during
and after closure. Plant owners must coordinate with public utility and
environmental regulators to ensure compliance with permit requirements
during the decommissioning, remediation and redevelopment process.
Decommissioning
Decommissioning begins with an announcement that the plant is closing
and ends when operations completely cease. Unlike nuclear plant
decommissioning, which the federal government strictly regulates, the
process of decommissioning a coal-fired power plant is not always clear
and may overlap with remediation and redevelopment.
Once the owner decides to close the plant, the owner should develop
a strategy for managing the decommissioning process that serves his
or her business needs. A wide range of management strategies may be
considered, from the owner maintaining full control, to the selection of a
third party to oversee the process. The owner also may sell the property
to a developer or municipality early in the process.
During decommissioning, the electrical generating units are shut
down and all operating permits are terminated. Any unused coal and
hazardous materials associated with both the generation process and
the buildings/structures (e.g., process chemicals, asbestos in the
building or in equipment, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], lead) are
removed. Electrical generating equipment is cleaned and may be
removed for use at other locations or sold as scrap. Some demolition
of buildings/structures may be performed to facilitate cleaning or
equipment removal. Power plants with onsite coal ash ponds or solid
waste landfills must follow the federal and state permit requirements for
closure of these facilities.
Remediation
Remediation involves the investigation and cleanup of hazardous
materials to meet federal or state requirements. It also includes defining
site-specific needs for redevelopment. The site owner is responsible
for ensuring that the cleanup meets all regulatory requirements and
works closely with stakeholders, environmental consultants and state
environmental agencies to develop and execute the remediation plan.
The cost and extent of the cleanup will depend on the anticipated reuse
of the site and the type and location of hazardous materials stored or
disposed on the property. For example, if industrial use is planned,
the cleanup requirements may be less stringent than what is required
for residential use, because the likelihood of direct or prolong human
exposure to contaminants will be lower. Many power plants are adjacent
to bodies of water that may contain contaminants due to power plant
operations, which must also be addressed as part of the cleanup. The
cost of remediation can vary greatlyfrom hundreds of thousands of
dollars to several million dollars or more.1
Remediation starts with collecting soil and ground water samples to
investigate and document any contamination. Next, a plan for cleanup
is developed and, once approved by state regulators, implemented.
Relatively few published studies discuss the costs of remediation at coal-fired
power plants.
Coal Plant Decommissioning
Plant Decommissioning, Remediation and Redevelopment
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At most sites, the public is invited to comment on the cleanup plan that
is proposed by the state environmental agency, who is responsible for
reviewing and approving the plan.
Occasionally, low levels of contamination may be left in places. In such
cases, future site activities and uses may be restricted. Any restrictions
on the future use of the property (due to contamination being left onsite)
is documented in legal notices (e.g., land use restrictions and institutional
controls that often are filed with or attached to property titles and deeds).
These may include restrictions on drilling drinking-water wells or building
residential dwellings. In addition, requirements to notify local authorities
before digging or excavating in contaminated areas may be imposed.
Redevelopment
To evaluate different reuse options and facilitate a shared vision of
the end result among stakeholders, redevelopment planning should
start early in the process. A shared stakeholder vision helps avoid major
changes to the plan later on, which could cause delays and waste
valuable resources.
In addition to meeting stakeholder needs, reuse must conform to
practical and legal conditions at the site. The following table describes
some common considerations in planning a redevelopment project.
Things to Consider
Who will control the site
during redevelopment?
Examples
Utility
Public agency
Private owner
Opportunities and Challenges
Utilities and private owners can control the reuse
of the site within community regulations and to the
extent that it is economically feasible.
Public agencies may have an opportunity to
redevelop, using a combination of both public
and private funds and partnerships.
What amenities are
available at the site?
Waterfront access and
port facilities
Natural gas lines
and electrical
transmission stations
Technological
infrastructure,
including high-speed
broadband access
Visual attractiveness,
such as open fields,
wooded areas, river
and ocean views
Waterfront access can open new opportunities for
recreation, transportation and tourism.
Waterfronts also offer a base for offshore power
generation and staging.
Reuse of waterfront properties may require
climate resiliency planning to reduce the potential
impacts of extreme weather events.
Existing infrastructure may attract the clean
energy industry; the owners could restart electric
generation with natural gas or biomass.
Including walking trails, parks and event venues,
when possible, helps accommodate community
needs for open spaces.
Coal Plant Decommissioning
Plant Decommissioning, Remediation and Redevelopment
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Things to Consider Examples Opportunities and Challenges
Are there opportunities
for economic
development?
Are there
zoning issues?
Are there land
use restrictions?
What's the
property value?
What about vehicular
traffic and site access?
Employment
opportunities
Tax revenue
Local ordinances and
overlay districts
Historic districts
and historic building
designations
Environmental
State waters
and ports
Utility easements
Cost of cleanup
versus value of
property after
development
Market for
redeveloped uses
Regional and local
access to site
Traffic and population
density patterns
New commercial/industrial development can
add direct and indirect jobs and can create tax
revenues.
Commercial/industrial development can stimulate
the expansion of nearby development projects.
Redevelopment must comply with local zoning
regulations, which can limit options unless the
zoning changes.
Some cities apply additional zoning requirements
that overlay the existing base zone.
Historic buildings can offer unique development
opportunities but may limit options.
Historic buildings may invoke the need to comply
with the Historic Preservation Act.
Reuse options may be limited in areas with soil
and ground water contamination.
Regulations may limit the redevelopment of land
adjacent to water.
Utility companies may restrict access or use
in areas with existing natural gas, electrical
transmission and water utilities.
The value of the property after redevelopment
must be balanced against the cost of
decommissioning, remediation and
redevelopment.
The proposed use of the site must be realistic and
address community needs. Communities should
consider performing a market analysis to identify
viable options for redevelopment and to inform
reuse decisions.
Industrial development will require transportation
of raw materials and finished goods. Suitable
roads, rail and ports must be available.
If reuse increases public access, adjacent
neighborhoods must be able to accept
increased traffic.
Coal Plant Decommissioning
Plant Decommissioning, Remediation and Redevelopment
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References
Salem Harbor Power Station - Revitalization Task Force Report.
Available at:
http://www.mass.gov/eea/energy-utilities-clean-tech/salem-harbor.
The Electric Power Research Institute's Decommissioning Handbook for
Coal-Fired Power Plants (2004). Available at:
http://www.epri.com/search/Pages/results.
aspx?k=Decommissioning%20Handbook%20for%20Coal-Fired%20
Power%20Plants
The American Clean Skies Foundation's Repurposing Legacy Power
Plants: Lessons for the Future (August 2011). Available at:
http://www.cleanskies.org/?publication=repurposing-legacy-power-
plants-lessons-for-the-future
Delta Institute's Transforming Coal Plants into Productive Community
Assets (2014). Available at:
http://delta-institute.org/2015/01/what-happens-to-a-coal-plant-after-
it-closes
EPA Publication #560-F-16-003
r/EFft
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Coal Plant Decommissioning
Plant Decommissioning, Remediation and Redevelopment
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