Geologists’ Study Cites Abandoned Mine Dangers at Power Plant Site
A new report by two retired geologists, Nick Fedorko and Mark Thomas, highlights significant subsidence risks at a proposed West Virginia power plant site intended for multiple data centers, citing abandoned underground coal mines. The study warns of potential hazards like diesel fuel tank ruptures and methane gas release due to surface instability. Fundamental Data, the company behind the Ridgeline Facility, maintains that its own studies show the site is stable and will continue to be evaluated.
Retired geologists Nick Fedorko and Mark Thomas have released a report detailing potential dangers at the proposed Ridgeline Facility power plant site in West Virginia, which is intended to power a large data center field. Their study, utilizing data from the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, claims the site near Davis and Thomas is unstable due to abandoned underground coal mines, posing risks of subsidence, which could rupture fuel tanks or release explosive methane gas. Fedorko, a coal geologist with 46 years of experience, and Thomas, an expert in coal mine mapping and groundwater contamination, assert that the entire project area is underlain by these old mine works, citing local examples of mining-related sinkholes.
Fundamental Data, the Virginia-based company proposing the power plant, has countered these claims, stating that its own studies indicate "all areas relevant to its construction plans are stable." A company spokeswoman confirmed that site conditions would continue to be evaluated through appropriate engineering and regulatory processes, though Fundamental Data did not provide copies of its internal studies upon request.
The geologists' report was distributed by Tucker United, a grassroots organization actively opposing the Ridgeline Facility. Both Fedorko and Thomas, however, clarified that they were not compensated for their work and conducted the study independently, driven by a belief that the public should have access to this information regarding the site's safety. They approached the research with an open mind, aiming for objective findings.
The study also outlines methods to mitigate subsidence, such as "daylighting" (surface mining remaining coal) or "grouting" (injecting a cement mixture into voids), acknowledging that both are costly and the latter does not guarantee complete elimination of risk. It emphasizes that while no subsidence has been documented within the Ridgeline Facility's footprint, this does not preclude future occurrences.