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Flooding from Hurricane Dorian could put power plants, coal ash basins at risk

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Flooding from Hurricane Dorian could put power plants, coal ash basins at risk

Hurricane Dorian was battering the coasts of the Carolinas on Sept. 6, bringing heavy rains, storm surge and flooding with it. S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis reported that more than 5,000 MW of operating coal and nuclear capacity lie in areas the National Ocean and Atmospheric Association determined are at risk for significant river flooding over the next five days as of Sept. 6.

The 1,928-MW Brunswick nuclear plant owned by Duke Energy Corp. subsidiary Duke Energy Progress LLC is the largest facility in the flood risk area. On the Atlantic Coast in Brunswick County, S.C., the plant falls within an area likely to see significant flooding due to weather conditions. The 1,790-MW Cross plant and 1,150-MW Winyah plant, coal-fired facilities owned by Santee Cooper, known legally as the South Carolina Public Service Authority, also are within the area where flooding is possible.

At least six coal ash basins lie in the flood risk area, holding roughly 8.8 million cubic yards of coal ash. Duke Energy operates four of the coal ash basins, and Santee Cooper operates the other two. Of those basins, four have a "high" hazard rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indicating that failure of the dams is likely to cause loss of human life; another basin has a hazard rating of "significant," indicating that failure of the dams would cause economic loss, environmental damage and disruption of lifeline facilities.

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