AEI was contacted by LG&E and KU Energy LLC., to provide surveying, aerial photography hydrographic and bathymetric surveying on ten (10) separate generating stations. The project included volumetric calculations to determine total volume of CCRs stored and remaining storage capacity. Services also included aerial and oblique imagery, processing, printing, impoundment and landfill volumetric calculations and project control recovery and establishment. AEI was the prime consultant. Atlantic joined the team to provide the aerial component and (GCT) Gustin, Cothern & Tucker, Inc. joined our team for Hydrographic and Bathymetric surveying services.

The ten (10) sites are situated in Louisville, Bedford, Ghent, Harrodsburg, and Central City, Kentucky. LG&E and KU own and operate six (6) active coal fired generating stations. The total gross generating capacity is over 6600 Megawatts. The coal combustion process produces various byproducts, commonly referred to as coal combustion residuals (CCRs). Combustion of coal at the six (6) generating stations annually produce approximately 4.5 million cubic yards of CCRs. LG&E and KU use impoundments to manage CCRs and other wastewater. Landfills are utilized to manage CCRs at LG&E’s Cane Run and Mill Creek generating stations. To improve planning they developed a program to track solid waste volumes, capacities, and storage life of all the CCR facilities. This program includes the need for annual surveyed volumes of all active impoundment and landfill facilities.

Safety and compliance is of the upmost importance to AEI. AEI, LG&E-KU’s and OSHA policies, standards and guidelines were followed. Prior to carrying out the topographic, hydrographic, bathymetric, photogrammetric, and other survey and site work AEI provided a summary of work items to be performed and a projected schedule for completion was submitted for approval. Survey crews, project managers and professionals attended a kickoff meeting. The project scope was reviewed along with acquiring the proper training, orientation and onsite credentials. LG&E-KU’s project manager escorted AEI personnel around each site initially for site orientation, site specific training and hazard review. Documentation for existing survey control on each site was provided and the control recovery verification process was begun. Once the aerial targets were in place, Atlantic was notified that the sites were ready to be flown weather permitting. As the aerial acquisition was being derived and compiled GCT was notified and schedule to be on site for the hydrographic and bathymetric surveying phase of the project. Each site was being processed by Atlantic as the Bathymetric data as being submitted. The volumetric information was calculated, checked and issued to LG&E-KU’s project manager in phases for their review and approval.