Skip to content Skip to content

Site Report: NSB Nuiqsut Power Plant

Site Name: NSB Nuiqsut Power Plant
Address: Utilidor NE of Washeteria; N of Warm Storage Bldg, Nuiqsut, AK 99789
File Number: 370.38.001
Hazard ID: 25937
Status: Active
Staff: Andrea Carlson, 9074515174 andrea.carlson@alaska.gov
Latitude: 70.220340
Longitude: -150.994868
Horizontal Datum:WGS84

We make every effort to ensure the data presented here is accurate based on the best available information currently on file with DEC. It is therefore subject to change as new information becomes available. We recommend contacting the assigned project staff prior to making decisions based on this information.

Problems/Comments

In July 2012, during excavation activities to install underground diesel fuel piping between the North Slope Borough power plant and washeteria in Nuiqsut, petroleum-contaminated soil was discovered with DRO above DEC cleanup levels.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
10/31/2012 Spill Transferred from Prevention Preparedness and Response Program Spill transferred by PERP staff Patrik Sartz. Spill no. 12399919201; spill date = 7/30/12; substance = diesel; quantity = unknown; PERP file no. 370.02.002. Mitzi Read
11/1/2012 Site Added to Database A new site has been added to the database Mitzi Read
11/2/2012 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 79356 name: DRO in Utilidor Mitzi Read
11/5/2012 Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter Potentially Responsible Party/State Interest Letter sent to responsible party. Bill O'Connell
11/8/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed Limited Site Characterization report for Washeteria Area, Nuiqsut. Hydrocarbon contamination was observed in soil during trenching for utilities in an area north of the Warm Storage Building and West of the Power Plant. Soil samples collected from the base of the trench and from test pits excavated along the planned trenching route contained DRO up to 3,110 mg/kg. No other contaminants were detected above cleanup levels. Bill O'Connell
6/3/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed Release Investigation work plan for Nuiqsut Power Plant (aka Washeteria Fuel Line Trench). The objective of the RI is to evaluate the source and extent of hydrocarbons found during trenching between the washeteria and the power plant. Soil borings will be advanced using a hand auger or power auger to delineate the extent of contamination. Borings will be advanced to at least 5 feet bgs and 1-2 samples will be collected per borehole based on field screening results. Bill O'Connell
3/20/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of Final Release Investigation Report, Power Plant Trench. Contamination was encountered during the 2012 excavation of a trench to install piping after a problem with the piping integrity was identified in 2012. Activities conducted in 2013 included advancing 20 soil borings into the soil which appeared to be non-native fill, field screening soil from borings. Groundwater was encountered before borings reached the underlying native tundra. Twenty soil samples were submitted for lab analyses for GRO/DRO/RRO/BTEX and one sample for PAHs. Results up to 229 mg/kg GRO, 8,130 mg/kg DRO, and 2,100 mg/kg RRO. BTEX and PAH results did not exceed most conservative, applicable cleanup level. Report recommends to do further delineation. Keather McLoone
10/16/2015 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 79356 DRO in Utilidor. Keather McLoone
1/17/2017 Update or Other Action Letter sent to NSB on this day detailing the current status/progress of 22 active contaminated sites, including this site. Joshua Barsis
11/20/2017 Update or Other Action Letter sent on this day as a follow up to the last version of this letter, dated January 17, 2017, and as a follow up to a meeting with NSB on November 17, 2017. This letter details the current status/progress of 23 active contaminated sites, including this site. Joshua Barsis
11/16/2018 Update or Other Action Letter sent on this day as a follow up to the last version of this letter, dated November 20, 2017, and at the request of the North Slope Borough (NSB). This letter details the current progress of 24 active contaminated sites, including this site. Joshua Barsis
12/13/2019 Enforcement Action Compliance letter sent on this day. Joshua Barsis
1/21/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the NSB Nuiqsut Power Plant Site Characterization Work Plan, dated January 16, 2020. The objective of the proposed effort is to further characterize the site by installing and sampling soil borings and monitoring wells, performing surface water visible sheen assessments and sampling surface water, surveying installed monitoring wells to obtain the porewater flow direction, and completing a community drinking water source survey. Joshua Barsis
2/19/2020 Enforcement Action Notice of Violation issued to NSB on February 18, 2020. See file for more information. Joshua Barsis
3/2/2022 Update or Other Action In 2022 UMIAQ will be conducting the work in the approved 2020 work plan with approved minor modifications. Lisa Krebs-Barsis
12/19/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2023 NSB Nuiqsut Tank Farm Site Characterization Report Revision 1, dated July 6, 2023. Soil, groundwater, and surface water characterization work was conducted in June 2022 and included installing and sampling five soil borings, completing the borings as monitoring wells, sampling the new wells, and handling investigation derived wastes. The soil, groundwater, and surface water samples were submitted to the laboratory for analysis of gasoline range organics (GRO), diesel range organics (DRO), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylenes (BTEX), and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Soil samples from three of the five borings (SB-01, SB-05, and SB-07) had one or more analytes detected at concentrations above the DEC Method One or Method Two cleanup levels (CULs) for GRO, DRO, BTEX, and three PAHs. The groundwater samples from two wells (MW-02 and MW-07) had reported concentrations of DRO above the CUL. The groundwater sample from MW-07 also had benzene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, and naphthalene at concentrations reported above the respective CULs. Four locations were sampled for surface water and the analytical results were either non-detect or estimated values less than the limit of quantitation for the tested analytes. Calculated TAH and TAqH were below the DEC Water Quality Standards. The report recommends further groundwater and surface water sampling, as well as additional soil and groundwater characterization in the area of SB-07/MW-07. Andrea Carlson
5/10/2024 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Reviewed and approved NSB Nuiqsut Power Plant Additional Site Characterization Work Plan dated March 22, 2024. The plan details additional site characterization including installing and sampling two soil borings, completing the borings as monitoring wells, sampling the wells, and collecting surface water samples. Andrea Carlson

Contaminant Information

Name Level Description Media Comments

Control Type

Type Details

Requirements

Description Details

No associated sites were found.

Missing Location Data

Because the GIS location data for this site has not been entered, we cannot direct you to its position on the map. Click "Continue" to proceed to the Contaminated Sites Web Map or "Close" to return to the site report.
Continue     Close