"Eleven of Georgia’s 12 coal-powered plants are leaking chemicals into the groundwater, according to a study by a group of environmentalists that was released Thursday.

Ten of those 11 plants are owned by Georgia Power, the state’s leading energy supplier.

Georgia Power officials said repeated tests over the past several years show that chemicals from any leakage have not had an impact on the state’s water quality.

Conservation groups Environmental Integrity Project and Earthjustice released the study Thursday looking at information for Georgia’s 12 coal-powered plants made public through the 2015 federal Coal Combustion Residuals Rule.

The environmentalists said the study should spur lawmakers to strengthen Georgia’s coal ash regulations by requiring utilities to remove waste from leaking, unlined coal ash ponds."

Maya T. Prabhu reports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution December 13, 2018. [2]