Great River Energy’s Coal Creek Station in Underwood, N.D., is fueled 100 percent by lignite coal. Because the pyrites and ash from the lignite are abrasive to the power plant’s pipe lines, Coal Creek had problems with leaking in its pulverizer reject lines. Plant personnel searched for a way to mitigate the effects of this leaking and extend the pipes’ life. They found that wear resistant basalt- and ceramic-lined piping extended the reject piping’s life and reduced maintenance requirements.

ABRESIST® basalt lined steel pipe used to convey abrasive bottom ash at American Electric Power's Gavin Plant consists of 12 lines of 10" and 12" ID ABRESIST pipe. Older ABRESIST wear resistant pipe, still serviceable after almost 20 years of use, was interspersed with the new ABRESIST pipe.