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Duke, the largest in the United States by power
generation capacity, will spend $2.25 million in carrying out
environmental projects to benefit Virginia localities affected
by the spill.
The remaining $250,000 will be placed in a DEQ fund to respond
to environmental emergencies.
A pipe break at a retired Duke coal plant in February 2014
triggered the third-worst coal ash spill in U.S. history. The
event prompted North Carolina's Senate to ask Duke to close 33
coal ash ponds in the state within 15 years.
The accident occurred amid a long-running legal battle over the
storage of coal ash waste at Duke facilities.
The company said it had set aside $100 million in the fourth
quarter in anticipation of the settlement.
A public comment period on the proposed order will be open
through May 20, 2015. Afterward, the State Water Control Board
must give final approval for the order to take effect, DEQ said.
Duke, which sells power to 7.2 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky,
also operates in Argentina, Chile and Brazil.
(Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Editing by
Dan Grebler)
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