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CCR Rule Compliance Data and Information

On April 17, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a final rule for management and disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCRs) from electric utilities. In 2018, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management issued its state CCR rule, which closely tracks the federal rule. 

More Information: Public Meetings | Public Notices

Closing Ash Ponds Safely and Permanently

Numerous advanced engineering technologies go above and beyond closing in place.

The Closure Process

Remove Water - The Closure Process

Remove Water

Advanced treatment ensures the water meets environmental standards before being removed.

Excavate and Reduce - The Closure Process

Excavate and Reduce

Material is carefully excavated and moved farther away from rivers and waterways, creating protective buffers while reducing the size of each pond.

Additional Protection - The Closure Process

Additional Protection

Using advanced engineering, additional protections, such as redundant dike systems and other structures, are being constructed for increased, robust flood protection.

Permanent Closure and Ongoing Monitoring - The Closure Process

Permanent Closure and Ongoing Monitoring

Finally, a specially engineered barrier is constructed over the material to keep it safely in place. Ongoing monitoring ensures water quality around the closed site is protected.

Source: EPA, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40 CFR 257.102(d)


Plant-Specific Data

Plant Barry

Plant Barry is in southwest Alabama, about 25 miles north of Mobile. It has provided safe, reliable power to Alabama Power customers for more than 60 years. The employees at Plant Barry are committed to serving customers and protecting the environment, and the plant is an important part of the local economy. The company has invested more than $950 million in environmental controls at the plant, significantly reducing emissions.

Plant Barry, Alabama Power Company

Closing Ash Ponds Safely and Permanently

  • The company is treating and removing all water from the pond.
  • Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, creating buffers of up to 750 yards from the Mobile River – a distance in some places longer than seven football fields.
  • The size will be reduced by 267 acres, or about 45 percent.
  • Using advanced engineering, Alabama Power will construct a redundant dike system as part of the plant’s increased, robust flood-protection measures.
  • In addition to the redundant dike system, Alabama Power will construct a subsurface retaining wall around the entire consolidated footprint to provide further groundwater protection. The site benefits from a unique, natural solid clay layer that extends up to 28 feet below the ash pond. The retaining wall will extend below ground and tie into the clay layer to effectively seal the material in place.
  • Additionally, an internal drainage system will be constructed around the perimeter of the consolidated footprint to accelerate the removal of water.
  • The company will install a specially engineered barrier over the material to keep it safely in place.
  • Storm water systems will be added to manage rainwater runoff.
  • Alabama Power will monitor groundwater around the facility for at least 30 years to ensure ongoing protection of water quality.

Gypsum Pond

Ash Pond


Plant Gadsden

Plant Gadsden is in the city of Gadsden in Etowah County. It has provided safe, reliable power to Alabama Power customers for more than 60 years. The employees at Plant Gadsden are committed to serving customers and protecting the environment, and the plant is an important part of the local economy.

The facility has stopped receiving ash, is dewatered, the footprint reduced and the cap in place. Compliance information for Plant Gadsden will be posted to this website in accordance with the extended schedule given by the EPA.

Plant Gadsden - Alabama Power Company

Ash Pond


Plant Gaston

Plant Gaston is in Shelby County, near the town of Wilsonville. It has provided safe, reliable power to Alabama Power customers for more than 50 years. The employees at Plant Gaston are committed to serving customers and protecting the environment, and the plant is an important part of the local economy. The company has invested more than $1 billion in environmental controls at the plant, significantly reducing emissions.

Plant Gaston - Alabama Power Company

Closing Ash Ponds Safely and Permanently

  • The company is treating and removing all water from the pond.
  • Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, which creates buffers of up to 330 yards from the river – a distance longer than three football fields.
  • The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 75 acres, or by more than a fourth.
  • Alabama Power is applying advanced engineering to construct a redundant dike system between the facility and the river as part of the plant’s increased, robust flood-protection measures.
  • A specially engineered drainage and collection system will be installed for additional long-term protection.
  • The company is installing a specially engineered barrier over the material to keep it safely in place.
  • Storm water systems will be added to manage rainwater runoff.
  • Alabama Power will monitor groundwater around the facility for at least 30 years to ensure ongoing protection of water quality.

Gypsum Pond

Ash Pond


Plant Gorgas

Plant Gorgas is in Walker County, near the town of Parrish. It provided safe, reliable power to Alabama Power customers for more than a century. On Feb. 20, 2019, the company announced the closure of Plant Gorgas because of costly, federally driven environmental mandates related to the handling of coal ash and wastewater.

Plant Gorgas - Alabama Power Company

Closing Ash Ponds Safely and Permanently

  • The company is treating and removing all water from the pond.
  • Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, creating a buffer in some areas nearly a half-mile wide.
  • The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 130 acres, or by nearly a third.
  • Alabama Power is applying advanced engineering to construct a reinforced dike system between the facility and the river as part of the plant’s increased, robust flood-protection measures.
  • A specially engineered drainage and collection system will be installed for additional long-term protection.
  • The company is installing a specially engineered barrier over the material to keep it safely in place.
  • Storm water systems will be added to mange rainwater runoff.
  • Alabama Power will monitor groundwater around the facility for at least 30 years to ensure ongoing protection of water quality.

Gypsum Landfill

Gypsum Pond

CCR Landfill

Bottom Ash Landfill

Ash Pond

Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action

Assessment of Corrective Measures

2019 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

20240131_AnGWRep_GOR_AP_FINAL

20220731_SemiAnGWRep_GOR_AP_FINAL

202012 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report, Plant Gorgas

2019 1st Semi-Annual GWPS Exceedance Notification - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

2018 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

Groundwater Remedy Selection Report - Plant Gorgas

Groundwater Monitoring System Certification - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

2020 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

Statistical Analysis Method Certification - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

Land Owner Notification Salter - Plant Gorgas

2019 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT MONITORING PROGRAM - Ash Pond

Assessment of Corrective Measures: Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

2021 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

20230131_AnGWRep_GOR_AP_FINAL

Notice of Groundwater Protection Standard Exceedance

2017 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Gorgas AP Update

2018 2nd Semi-Annual GWPS Exceedance Notification - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

Notice of Assessment of Corrective Measures - Plant Gorgas Ash Pond

Land Owner Notification - Plant Gorgas

2020 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report, Plant Gorgas

202106 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report, Plant Gorgas


Plant Greene County

Plant Greene County is in Greene County, about 10 miles north of Demopolis. It has provided safe, reliable power to Alabama Power customers for more than 50 years. The employees at Plant Greene County are committed to serving customers and protecting the environment, and the plant is an important part of the local economy.

Plant Greene County - Alabama Power Company

Closing Ash Ponds Safely and Permanently

  • The company is treating and removing all water from the pond.
  • Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, which creates buffers of up to 400 yards from the river – a distance as long as four football fields.
  • The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 268 acres, or more than half its original footprint.
  • Alabama Power is applying advanced engineering technologies to construct a 2.5-mile subsurface wall around the closed pond to provide additional structural integrity and water quality protection. The wall will extend 30 feet below ground around the entire closed facility and tie into a natural chalk layer to effectively seal the material in place.
  • The company is installing a specially engineered barrier over the material to keep it safely in place.
  • Storm water systems will be added to manage rainwater runoff.
  • Alabama Power will monitor groundwater around the facility for at least 30 years to ensure ongoing protection of water quality.

Ash Pond

Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action

2019 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

202012 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report, Plant Greene County Ash Pond

2019 1st Semi-Annual GWPS Exceedance Notification - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

202106 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report, Plant Greene County

Landowner Notification 20200903 - Plant Greene County

2017 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Greene AP

Notice of Groundwater Protection Standard Exceedance

2019 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report - Plant Greene County

2020 Semi-Annual Remedy Selection and Design Progress Report, Plant Greene County Ash Pond

2018 2nd Semi-Annual GWPS Exceedance Notification - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

Notice of Assessment of Corrective Measures - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

2018 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

20240131_AnGWRep_GRE_AP_FINAL

Groundwater Remedy Selection Report - Plant Greene County

Assessment of Corrective Measures: Greene County Ash Pond

Statistical Analysis Method Certification - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

2020 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

2017 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Greene AP Update

NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT MONITORING PROGRAM - Ash Pond

2021 Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

20220731_SemiAnGWRep_GRE_AP_FINAL

Groundwater Monitoring System Certification - Plant Greene County Ash Pond

Landowner Notification 20200812 - Plant Greene County

20230131_AnGWRep_GRE_AP_FINAL


Plant Miller

Plant Miller is in Jefferson County, near the town of West Jefferson. It has provided safe, reliable power to Alabama Power customers for 40 years. The employees at Plant Miller are committed to serving customers and protecting the environment, and the plant is an important part of the local economy. The company has invested more than $1.6 billion in environmental controls at the plant, significantly reducing emissions.

Plant Miller - Alabama Power Company

Closing Ash Ponds Safely and Permanently

  • The company is treating and removing all water from the pond.
  • Material will be excavated and moved farther away from waterways, which creates a buffer of up to 450 yards from the river – a distance longer than four football fields.
  • The facility’s size will be reduced by approximately 125 acresor by more than a third.
  • Alabama Power is applying advanced engineering to construct a reinforced dike system to provide additional structural integrity.
  • A specially engineered drainage and collection system will be installed for additional long-term protection.
  • The company is installing a specially engineered barrier over the material to keep it safely in place.
  • Storm water systems will be added to manage rainwater runoff.
  • Alabama Power will monitor groundwater around the facility for at least 30 years to ensure ongoing protection of water quality.

Ash Pond