Distinguishing CCP from Nuclear Impacts in Groundwater

As the energy transition from fossil fuels to other generation technologies continues, many companies worldwide are evaluating the feasibility of constructing nuclear power plants at sites previously used for coal-powered generation. Thermal power plant sites offer advantages for siting nuclear generation such as proximity to cooling water and grid connections; however existing impacts to groundwater from coal combustion product (CCP) management units may confound monitoring programs designed to detect impacts from nuclear operations. For example, boron and lithium may be present in waters associated with CCP management and nuclear power plant operations, and potassium that often has concentrations above background in CCP waters contains K-40, a beta emitter that can in turn cause gross alpha measurements to exceed background. EPRI’s research has identified similarities and differences between groundwater signatures that may be useful for owners to determine the source of groundwater impacts prior to and during nuclear operations.