Alabama Power says it plans to begin recycling coal ash into concrete at Plant Barry as early as 2026, but its primary closure strategy for the site remains capping most of the coal ash pond in place rather than removing it entirely.

The utility announced in 2024 that it is partnering with Eco Material Technologies to build a facility at Plant Barry that would process coal ash for use in construction materials such as concrete. According to a statement by Alabama Power, the facility is expected to recycle more than 700,000 tons of coal ash per year once it becomes operational in January 2026.

The plan, however, does not include a clear timeline or enforceable schedule for either completing pond closure or ensuring a specific amount of ash is recycled each year.

Plant Barry's coal ash pond contains more than 21 million tons of coal ash, according to Alabama Power's amended closure plan filed with regulators. At the planned recycling rate, removing all of the ash would take decades unless recycling volumes increase significantly.

Under that amended closure plan, Alabama Power's permitted approach is to leave the majority of the coal ash in place, consolidating it and covering it with a cap designed to limit water

infiltration. Environmental advocates argue that approach leaves ongoing risks for groundwater and nearby waterways.

"Alabama Power's currently permitted plan is closure in place, meaning millions of tons of coal ash stay where they are, next to the Mobile River and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta," said Cade Kistler, baykeeper for Mobile Baykeeper.

Coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal for electricity, contains heavy metals that pose risks to water quality if they leach into groundwater. The Plant Barry ash pond sits along the Mobile River, upstream from the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Mobile Bay — an area frequently affected by flooding and hurricanes.

"That leaves ash soaking in groundwater, and it leaves ongoing pollution risk in the heart of our home waters," Kistler said. "It also leaves a serious storm risk on the table because this is a hurricane state and floodwaters do not politely stay inbounds."

A study revealed publicly in September found arsenic and cadmium levels in the Mobile River near Plant Barry, which has operated since the 1960s, that are comparable to — and in some cases higher than — those measured after the 2008 Kingston coal-ash spill in Tennessee, the largest industrial spill of its kind in U.S. history.

Mobile Baykeeper is calling for a legally binding agreement that would require Alabama Power to commit to a clear schedule for recycling and removing ash from the riverbank."A clear binding schedule for recycling of the coal ash at Plant Barry would make for an adequate plan," Kistler said. "So far, we have not seen commitments that match the scale and urgency of the risk."

Kistler said other utilities across the Southeast have adopted large-scale coal ash recycling and removal efforts and that he believes similar action is needed in Alabama.

"It's critical to follow their lead and move the coal ash off the banks of the Mobile River," he said.

Community advocates agree that recycling coal ash is an important step but say the details of how much ash will be removed — and when — remain unclear.

Diane Thomas of the Coal Ash Action Group said recycling should be used to fully clear the ash from the site.

"Our reservation is how much of the ash will they recycle before their deadline to close the pond," Thomas said. "What we're asking Alabama Power to do is get an extension of their deadline for closing the pond, recycle every bit of the ash they possibly can, and if there's any left over to excavate that and put it in a landfill."

Thomas is featured in a documentary called "Sallie's Ashes" that examines the coal ash issue at the plant and the three Baldwin County women who started Coal Ash Action Group in 2022 to push for removal of the entire 21 million tons.

Alabama Power says coal ash recycling has long been part of its operations and points to years of reuse at Plant Barry and other sites.

"Alabama Power has been recycling coal ash from its plants for nearly four decades, repurposing more than 12 million tons of coal ash for beneficial use in products like concrete and other construction materials," said Alyson Tucker, the company's media relations manager, in a statement.

Tucker also referenced the Eco Material Technologies partnership, saying the new facility is expected to be in service by January 2026. She declined to comment further, citing ongoing litigation.

Environmental groups argue that without enforceable deadlines tied to recycling and removal, Alabama Power's amended closure plan could allow coal ash to remain beside the river indefinitely.

"This is about real, practical protection for the Delta and the communities that depend on it," Kistler said.

Mobile Baykeeper encourages residents to weigh in by contacting state leaders and urging them to require a cleanup plan that moves coal ash away from the Mobile River and the Delta.

"If folks want to take action, they can go to www.mobilebaykeeper.org/takeaction and send a message to Gov. Kay Ivey asking for a real cleanup plan that removes coal ash from the river's edge," Kistler said. "Call or email your state elected officials and ask where they stand on Plant Barry coal ash, and tell them, plainly, that you want coal ash moved away from the Mobile River and the Delta."

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.