Tennessee Valley Authority
Kingston Ash Slide Update
Updated January 5, 2009 – 9:30 p.m. EST
TVA, local, state and federal agencies continue to work on recovery and clean up of a release of ash caused by a failure of a coal ash containment retention wall at TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant in East Tennessee.
Airborne Ash Dust Control
To minimize dust and erosion, TVA began spreading grass seed and fertilizer Saturday. Aerial seeding continued today, with 26 tons of grass seed and fertilizer dropped by helicopter. A total of
47 tons has been dropped since Saturday. Two hundred thirteen total acres will be seeded by helicopter. Application of the liquid stabilizing agent was completed today. A total of 26-27 acres have been covered.
This is a temporary measure for controlling dust and erosion. Long term recovery efforts will continue. For more information, please see the ash dust control fact sheet.
The undisturbed portion of the ash cell is being treated with a liquid dust suppression agent via truck and sprayer. The internal portion of the spilled material is being sprayed with seed and fertilizer, followed by straw. This is being applied via helicopter. The perimeter of the spill is being sprayed with seed, fertilizer and straw from an amphibious vehicle. This will be applied manually from an amphibious vehicle in order to protect property and possessions. This process is similar to the one used by highway departments to provide ground cover.
For the area around Swan Pond Road where work is continuing, the ash will be sprayed with water.
The ash is mostly inert and breathing fly ash for a short period of time is unlikely to be a health concern. Breathing particulates (fly ash or other airborne particulates) over long periods of time can irritate the respiratory system. TVA is taking measures to reduce the amount of airborne dust that may arise in the future.
Community Assistance
TVA continues to assist residents affected by the incident and has scheduled meetings with homeowners to answer their questions and listen to their concerns.
- TVA has activated a phone number, 1-800-257-2675, for property owners to call if they need an assessment of property damages.
- An Outreach Center is opening Tuesday, January 6, at 509 North Kentucky Street in Kingston. The center will be open the first week Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. The local phone number for the Outreach Center is 865-632-1700.
- All other members of the public should continue to use 865-717-4006 with their questions or concerns.
Four community outreach teams continue to visit 10 - 15 homeowners in the affected areas each day.
Roadway and Railway Cleanup
Public access on Swan Pond Road past the Kingston plant and Swan Pond Circle remain closed except for construction as TVA 
removes material off the roads. Safety is the priority for anyone entering the area. Currently, there is no estimate for when the road will reopen for public use.
All rails and ties have been removed. TVA is now beginning the process of rebuilding the railroad base and setting the tracks.
Air Monitoring
Real-time monitoring resumed about 1:30 p.m. on 01/04/2009 and air particulates continue to be less than the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. We received analytical results for 12/31/2008 for four samplers located on-site and for 01/01/2009 for five samplers located in residential areas immediately adjacent to the plant. All of the samples indicate that concentrations of all metals analyzed are below detection limits.
TVA met with TDEC-Air Pollution Control staff to discuss TVA’s air sampling plan and fugitive dust control plan.
Water Quality
Untreated river water samples closest to the Kingston water treatment plant continue to meet requirements for primary drinking water standards.
All EPA, TDEC and TVA water treatment plant sampling results indicate municipal drinking water continues to be safe. Each agency is using certified labs for the analysis. Water samples have been tested from four local water treatment facilities, Rockwood, Harriman, Cumberland and Kingston.
TDEC is sampling the Kingston and Rockwood Water Plant intakes and processed water through mid-January. These samples will be taken daily and analyzed for Safe Drinking Water Act standards. The analysis will be performed by the Tennessee Department of Health Laboratory in Nashville. The laboratory data is released by TDEC.
To date, TDEC has sampled 26 private groundwater wells within a four mile radius of the plant. Results for 22 wells came back and all were within safe drinking water standards. TDEC will continue well sampling on Tuesday, January 6, and will contact residents as results become available. Those members of the public within this vicinity who desire to have their drinking water ground wells tested should call (865) 594-6035 to schedule. (This is a change from the 717-4006 number.)
TVA has set up a river water sampling schedule on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday rotation, with information being released through www.tva.com within four to five days.
Soil Sampling
Preliminary testing of the offsite soil samples show that toxic metals are well below (on the order of 10-100 times) the limits for classification as a hazardous waste. The trace concentrations of toxic metals in the offsite material sampled are consistent with and generally lower than that of the historic sampling results from the ash dredge cell that collapsed. The data shows that the concentrations of most metals in the deposited ash are not dramatically different from concentrations found in natural, non-agricultural soils in Tennessee, with the exception of arsenic. Total arsenic results were slightly above the average naturally occurring, but well below levels found in soils that are well fertilized and significantly below the limits to be classifies as a hazardous waste.
Emory and Clinch Rivers
The Emory River remains closed from mile marker zero through mile marker 4. The Kingston Fossil Plant Boat Ramp and fishing area has also been closed due to large equipment being moved into the area for clean-up. Coast Guard and TVA Police marine units are assisting with security in the area.
Work is complete on a rock weir built on the Emory River, just north of the existing intake skimmer weir. The weir is about 615 feet long. The weir will allow water to continue flowing, but will contain the ash. TVA is coordinating with the Corps of Engineers
to address the dredging process on the Emory River in the vicinity of the release.
A second weir is being designed and when complete will confine the ash and keep it from entering the river during the river dredging process. This approximately 2000-foot rock weir will extend from Swan Pond Circle south to the plant river bank.
General Information
Two of the nine units at Kingston are operating today. The other seven units are shutdown due to reduced demand for electricity as the relatively mild weather remains in the Tennessee Valley.
TVA, TDEC and EPA continue to work together to develop a long range sampling plan for air, water and soil.
Kingston Fossil Plant
Kingston Fossil Plant is located at the confluence of the Emory and Clinch Rivers near Kingston, Tennessee.
-
Kingston is one of TVA’s larger fossil plants. It generates 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to supply the needs of about 670,000 homes in the Tennessee Valley.
-
Plant construction began in 1951 and was completed in 1955.
For more information about Kingston fossil plant, please visit the Kingston overview page.