Plant Bowen has 98 groundwater monitoring wells, 17 of which have been polluted above federal advisory levels based on samples collected between February 29, 2016 and October 12, 2017. Groundwater at this site contains unsafe levels of boron, sulfate, antimony, molybdenum, cobalt, radium and arsenic.
Site descriptionPlant Bowen is a 2,000 acre coal-fired power plant in Euharlee, Georgia, bordered by the Etowah River. Owned and operated by Georgia Power Company, Bowen has four coal-fired units that produce 3,376 MW of electricity. The plant has four disposal areas: one unlined ash pond and three unlined landfill areas. The 257-acre ash pond is located approximately 100 feet away from the river, and contains 21.4 million cubic yards of coal ash. In 2002, a sinkhole beneath the ash pond funneled two million pounds of coal ash into a tributary of the Etowah River. Georgia Power has announced plans to stop disposing of ash in the ash pond, and “close” the pond by removing the water and leaving the coal ash in place.
For more information on Plant Bowen, see EIP's report, America's Top Power Plant Toxic Air Polluters.