In this photo released Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, by Duke Energy, Gray material that Duke Energy characterized as lightweight coal combustion byproducts could be seen Friday floating on the top of the lake, near Wilmington, N.C. The ash left over when coal is burned to generate electricity coal ash contains an array of components, including mercury, lead, arsenic and other toxic heavy metals. The inundated basin contains at the plant 400,000 cubic yards of ash.(Duke Energy via AP)
CHARLOTTE — Duke Energy said Monday that results from water samples collected downstream of the flooded coal ash depository at L.V. Sutton Power Station near Wilmington showed no negative impacts to the Cape Fear River and no elevated readings for lead, arsenic, or other toxic heavy metals. Inspectors from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality also collected samples of the river water. Officials said those results should be available later in the week.
