A Submerged Stormceptor unit installed in a partial tail water condition is helping a
Georgia Power plant keep its cool. Located on the banks of the Coosa River in northern
Georgia, Plant Hammond has provided coal-powered electricity for over 40 years.
To reduce harmful emissions, Georgia Power installed a Wet Flue Gas Desulphurization
System to remove sulfur dioxide from gases released to the atmosphere. The system’s
operation involves the transport and storage of large amounts of crushed limestone and
gypsum which generates a high concentration of dust and sediment particles. Stormwater
drainage from this area leads into a stormwater sump which feeds a nearby retention
pond used by the plant for cooling its turbines and generators.
Suspended solids carried in stormwater runoff could quickly damage the sump pump
and pollute the detention pond, jeopardizing the plant’s ability to safely cool the turbines.
Conscious of the site’s sensitivity, lead site engineer Charles Crowell, PE, from Atlantabased
URS Corporation decided a Submerged Stormceptor was needed. He was confident Stormceptor would effectively treat
runoff pollutants amid these demanding site conditions.
"We’ve had a lot of success with Stormceptor in the past. From ease of installation, ease of design, and then the product itself
always functions very well,” said Crowell. “Not a lot of products can handle a submerged installation, whereas Stormceptor has
standard submerged applications,” said Crowell. The pipe’s positioning required that the inlet pipe and outlet pipe be set at
exactly 91 degrees – the Stormceptor system’s design flexibility made this simple and “installation went off without a hitch,”
said Crowell.
And because the area is subject to frequent truck loading and unloading, the unit is designed to capture oil from stormwater
runoff as well as any dry weather spills. “We wanted to be sure the stormwater we were pumping would also be oil-free,” said
Crowell. “And that’s why Stormceptor was a perfect fit for this site,” he added. “It met all of those needs with one unit without
having to install multiple pieces of equipment to carry out different functions.”
With its simple design, easy installation and versatility, Stormceptor allows this power plant
to focus its energy on its core business with a long-term solution to combat stormwater
pollutants.
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