Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development ESB Power Generation and Wholesale Markets Environmental Impact Statement QS-000132-01-R001 Date: 13/06/2014 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. ESB International, Stephen Court, 18/21 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)1 703 8000 www.esbi.ie Copyright © ESB International Limited, all rights reserved. EPA Export 25-10-2016:02:12:32 Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development File Reference: Client / Recipient: ESB Power Generation and Wholesale Markets Project Title: Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development Report Title: Environmental Impact Statement Report No.: QS-000132-01-R001 Volume: 1 of 1 Prepared by: Mairead Hogan Date:23 April 2014 Title: Consultant Verified by: Paddy Kavanagh Date:13 June 2014 Title: Senior Consultant Approved by: Neil Quinn Date: 14 June 2014 Title: Manager Predevelopment Group Copyright © ESB International Limited All rights reserved. No part of this work may be modified, reproduced or copied in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or used for any purpose other than its designated purpose, without the written permission of ESB International Limited. Template Used: T-020-007-ESBI Report Template For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Change History of Report Date New Revision Author Summary of Change QS-000132-01-R001 i EPA Export 25-10-2016:02:12:32 Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY Introduction This non technical summary (NTS) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared to accompany an application by ESB Generation and Wholesale Markets (G&WM) to Clare County Council for full planning permission to increase the storage capacity of the existing ash storage area at the site of Moneypoint Generating Station. The station operates under the EPA Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Licence P-0605-03. The combustion of coal generates ash as a by-product, both furnace bottom ash (FBA) and pulverised fly ash (PFA). Bottom ash is transferred to the ash storage area. The existing ash storage area will reach its storage capacity by the end of 2014 and additional capacity must be provided to ensure the continued operation of Moneypoint station. The EIS has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations. Categories in the EIS are grouped under the headings Human Beings, Noise, etc. which is in accordance with current guidelines. The EIS comprises the following: non technical summary, main EIS volume, EIS appendices and photomontages. A separate assessment with the application under Article 6 of the EU Habitats Directive has also been provided with the application. As part of the consultation process, a scoping report was prepared and issued to key stakeholders including government bodies, interest groups, environmental organisations and local authorities. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Description of the Project Moneypoint is located on the northern shore of the Shannon Estuary in Co. Clare, approximately 3 km west of Killimer and 6 km south-east of Kilrush. Moneypoint Ash Storage Area (ASA) will be developed by ESB Generation and Wholesale Markets (ESB G&WM), which is the part of the ESB organisation that is dedicated to energy generation. The station has been in service since 1985 and has three 305 mega watts (MW) rated units. The site itself is approximately 180 hectares (ha) and comprises lands on either side of the Kilrush – Killimer road (N67). Due to changes in legislation in 2002 and subsequently to the stations IPPC Licence, air emission control equipment was fitted on the three boilers as part of the Moneypoint Environmental Retrofit Project (MERP). Since the retrofit project, flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) by-product has been generated, which is stabilised and landfilled in the stations FGD landfill. FGD by-product will be used in admixture with fly ash and cement to construct the embankments for the ASA. QS-000132-01-R001 ii EPA Export 25-10-2016:02:12:32 Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development Combustion of bituminous coals generates ash as a by-product. Ash comprises furnace bottom ash (FBA) and PFA. At Moneypoint PFA is removed and stored in dry form, being conveyed pneumatically to storage silos from where it is sold as a substitute for other materials in the construction industry or is transferred to the Ash Storage Area (ASA). Fly ash which is not sold is either stored in the ash storage area or used in an FGD by-product mix as part of the landfilling of FGD by- product on site. The ASA footprint covers approximately 25 ha. Access to it from the main site is via an internal roadway, which passes under the N67. The potential for metals for leach from coal ash depend on the chemical state of the metals within the fly ash, the permeability and infiltration rate of rainwater through the ash body and the likelihood for the ash to hydrate and display cement like properties. Testing carried out by ESB indicates that the coal ash within the ash storage area has a permeability classed as low. Leachate analysis is also carried out in accordance with the IPPC Licence. The total estimated cumulative quantity of waste deposited on the ASA site is 2.788 million m3 (Section 10.7 of the AER 2012 relates to the Annual Landfill Report required by the EPA). The remaining capacity of the current ash landfill is estimated at 212,000 m3 with an estimated total capacity of 3.0 million m3. The date in which the ASA will reach its full capacity cannot be predicted accurately as ash is sold commercially off site and hence quantity of deposited ash and therefore capacity usage is dictated by the ash market. However it is likely that the existing ash storage area capacity will be fully utilised within two years. The construction proposal is to create the Storage Area in stages in a series of lifts. The proposed development will occur in four stages: 1. Stage 1: Ash Storage • Existing Stone Berms For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. • Construct external Berm B (1st Stage), from Ash and FGD by product. • Infill on a cellular basis to form level contour surface, each working cell to be completed and capped temporarily with soil / or membrane Stage 1 will accommodate 432,366 m3 of coal ash, inclusive of internal ash bunds used to construct the landfill stage 1 in cells. 2. Stage 2: Ash Storage • Construct external berm B (2nd stage), from ash and FGD by product • The temporary capping will be removed on a cell by cell basis and stored for reuse • Infill on a cellular basis to form level contour surface, each working cell to be completed and capped temporarily with soil / or membrane • Cells to comprise bund walls made of Ash Stage 2 will accommodate 652,637 m3 of coal ash, inclusive of internal ash bunds used to construct the landfill stage 2 in cells. QS-000132-01-R001 iii EPA Export 25-10-2016:02:12:32 Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development 3. Stage 3: Ash Storage • Remove temporary cell capping layer and store for reuse. • Infill on a cellular basis to form level contour surface, each working cell to be completed and capped temporarily with soil / or membrane • Cells to comprise bund walls made of Ash • Contour to final contour level Stage 3 will accommodate 557,500m3 of ash inclusive of internal bunds. 4. Stage 4: Capping Layer • Remove temporary cell capping layer and store for reuse. • Infill on a cellular basis to form level contour surface, each working cell to be completed and capped temporarily with soil / or membrane • Impermeable barrier layer of 0.6m; comprised of FGD By-products, ash, cement mix • Drainage layer; 0.5m of stone infill • Topsoil and subsoil Layer is 1.0m in depth Stage 4 will accommodate 131,000m3 of ash inclusive of internal bunds. In general the ASA will be capped with an impermeable construction comprised of, for example, FGD by product, drainage stone, subsoil and seeded topsoil to give a grassland and natural finish to the surface. A drainage system will be installed at the interface of the ash and the impermeable barrier where the majority of the associated run-off will be collected and recycled through the station for subsequent For inspection reuse purposes by only. way of drainage channels, settlement Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. ponds and associated pump house. It is proposed that all partially completed stages will be covered either with a minimal layer of topsoil or a synthetic cover to minimise airborne dust. The scheduling and phasing of the construction works is unknown at this stage as this will be controlled by outside factors such as energy demand and demand for fly ash in the construction industry. However, development of the landfill is likely to occur in the next ten year period. Moneypoint operates an Environmental Management System (EMS) certified to ISO14001. The management of the environmental aspects of the complete Moneypoint site including the Ash Storage Area complies with this EMS. Alternatives A number of alternative options for disposal of the coal fly ash have been considered. Two main alternatives considered are: reuse of coal fly ash in the QS-000132-01-R001 iv EPA Export 25-10-2016:02:12:32 Moneypoint Ash Storage Area Development construction related industry and alternative landfilling options of Moneypoint coal fly ash. With the fall off in the construction industry in Ireland, the demand for construction related materials and hence the potential for reuse of coal fly ash has decreased, leading to increased deposition of fly ash in the Moneypoint ash storage area.