Jim Bridger Power Plant has 41 groundwater monitoring wells, 41 of which have been polluted above federal advisory levels based on samples collected between October 22, 2015 and August 07, 2019. Groundwater at this site contains unsafe levels of sulfate, lithium, cobalt, radium, selenium, molybdenum, arsenic, beryllium, thallium, cadmium, boron, fluoride, lead, chromium and antimony.
Site descriptionPacificorp’s Jim Bridger Power Plant is in Point of Rocks, Wyoming in Sweetwater County. The plant began operation in 1974 and generates 2,442-MW of electricity from four coal-fired units. After coming to agreement with EPA, Units 1 and 2 will be converted to natural gas in the next two years, while Unit 3 is scheduled for retirement in 2027 and Unit 4 is scheduled to be retired in 2037. This plant has three coal ash disposal units regulated by the coal ash rule: the Ash Landfill (200 acres), FGD Pond 1 (93 acres), and FGD Pond 2 (260 acres). All of these disposal units are unlined. FGD Pond 1 has been inactive since 2004 as it has met its storage capacity of 1,340 acre-feet, but while in operation accepted spent flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) fluids from the scrubber. The FGD Pond 2 was rated as a significant hazard potential on September 16, 2016, as well as earlier in 2009 and receives spent FGD fluids from the scrubber. Bottom fly ash and bottom ash are disposed of in the Ash Landfill. You can find the industry-reported data here.
For more information on the Jim Bridger Power Plant, see EIP’s 2019 National Coal Ash Report .