What is coal ash?
Coal ash is chemically similar to clay, essentially a calcined or fired clay which
lends itself as a replacement for natural resources. There
are three types of coal ash produced on the AEP System:
fly ash,
bottom ash, and
boiler slag.
The type of ash available at each plant is dependent on the type of boiler.
AEP supplies the various coal ashes from major coal-fired
generating plants that it operates in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky,
Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
AEP also markets the coal ash from Kyger Creek Plant, owned
by the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC), as well
as ash from Clifty Creek Plant owned by the Indiana-Kentucky
Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of OVEC.
Who uses coal ash?
Since 1951, AEP has been a pioneer in many of the utilizations
of coal ash in the construction of its own power plants. Dams,
plant roads, stacks, cooling towers and even the company's
31-story headquarters building in Columbus have been constructed
with the help of this versatile and plentiful material.
Governmental agencies have encouraged the utilization
of coal ash. For instance, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has issued procurement guidelines specifying that
fly ash be allowed as an option in all concrete purchased
directly or indirectly with federal funds.
The
Federal Highway Administration also specifies fly ash in all
highway concrete pavements wherever it is economically and technically feasible.
Why choose coal ash?
Coal ash offers a number of advantages. It is abundant,
economical and versatile. In addition, the use of coal
ash preserves natural resources, lowers utility rates and is
supported by governmental agencies.
The environmental compatibility, abundance, availability and
economy of coal ash translate into benefits for industry.
Industries benefit through significant cost savings while
not sacrificing product quality. In fact, the properties of
ash are such that, in many applications, it improves
the product. Cost savings are achieved by replacing
expensive and vanishing natural resources with comparatively
low-cost coal ash.
AEP: Innovation and service
AEP is a recognized leader in the industry, with four
decades of experience in ash utilization and research.
A pioneer in ash marketing, AEP was instrumental in the
formation of the American Coal Ash Association, the
ash industry's trade association. Throughout the years, AEP
has advised customers and other utilities on ash utilization
technology, providing the following services:
- AEP's technical staff is prepared to answer questions
on a variety of ash applications with expertise that comes
from actual field experience.
- AEP's marketing and technical
staff is available to help
customers incorporate the
best coal ash for their
needs at the greatest cost
savings. AEP also conducts
educational programs that
are helpful to specifiers
and customers.
- AEP has the ability to supply a consistent coal
ash from several sources in order to provide the
best ash for each application at the lowest overall cost.
Product quality
AEP is one of the few utilities that controls the production
of its coal ash products. Only ash of the highest quality is
dispensed to customers. Unsuitable ash is identified and diverted
to disposal. This conscientious quality-control service provided
by AEP is sought by many specifiers.
AEP also operates a complete Civil Engineering Laboratory
that is CCRL* inspected, and that performs all physical
tests in accordance with ASTM methods. The Civil Engineering
Laboratory tests the performance of ash products in concrete
and a variety of other applications.
In addition, AEP's Environmental
Laboratory routinely provides complete chemical analyses
of all coal ash products. These tests ensure that AEP
coal ash is continually and accurately characterized.
Customers can specify AEP coal ash products with confidence.
*Concrete and Cement Research Laboratory, a division of the U.S. Bureau of Standards.
