Richmond Power & Light hopes to this year begin the process of containing roughly 400,000 tons of coal ash on its property, General Manager Tony Foster told his board of directors Jan. 5.
The Whitewater Valley Generating Station along U.S. 27, which was built in 1954, burned coal and created the ash from the 1950s to the 1970s, dispersing the ash on about 8 acres in the northwest portion of its property.
The Environmental Protection Agency in 2015 implemented regulations that coal combustion residuals must be cleaned up or in some way prevented from seeping into groundwater. RP&L’s estimated $26 million project includes grading the ash for a plastic and bentonite clay cap and cover soil, removal of some ash to reduce the area that requires capping, and installation of a perimeter slurry wall reaching bedrock to protect groundwater.
RP&L submitted its permit application to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in August 2023, but has not received a response. Foster told the board, which is composed of Richmond Common Council members, that the application is now undergoing technical review, and he assumes RP&L will receive feedback early this year.
The federal deadline for project completion is April 2028, but groundwater must be monitored for an additional 30 years.
Foster said next steps will include the bonding process to finance the project, continuation of work on storm drainage design with Richmond Sanitary District and Indiana Municipal Power Agency, and rezoning two parcels of land RP&L has acquired.
The rezoning ordinance, which will be referred to the Richmond Advisory Plan Commission, was originally on Richmond Common Council’s Jan. 5 agenda, but it was held for a future meeting. RP&L wants a rectangular parcel jutting from the northwest portion of its property and a small sliver that it acquired from Elks Country Club rezoned and combined with RP&L’s current property.
Foster said the sliver, which is about one-fifth of an acre, makes a difference in the location of the slurry wall, saving about $1.5 million.
IMPA info
Foster said he receives questions concerning IMPA, the utility from which RP&L purchases power.
In 1980, RP&L was a founding member of the wholesale power supplier that serves about 350,000 people in 61 member communities. IMPA owns or has partial ownership in power generation facilities, including solar, natural gas and coal. It operates the Whitewater Valley Generating Station on days requiring extra power generation, and IMPA installed eight solar parks in Richmond and one in Centerville.
During 2024, coal accounted for 51.7% of IMPA’s power, with nuclear 21.6%, natural gas 15.2% and renewables 11.5%.
Foster said IMPA also provides members government relations, works with economic development and connects utility staff. It also operates IMPA Service Corp., a nonprofit subsidiary that provides engineering and operations services to smaller utilities at competitive prices.
Board leadership
The board elected Doug Goss its 2026 chair and Jane Bumbalough its vice chair.
Justin Burkhardt served as chair during 2025, with Goss the vice chair.
A version of this article appeared in the January 14 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.