Chief Ethanol has released additional information regarding a non-compliance incident reported to state environmental regulators following a process leak at its Lexington ethanol plant on August 18. According to the company, an equipment issue allowed diluted stillage, a corn-derived coproduct of the ethanol production process, to enter a permitted non-contact water discharge system. The problem was discovered after plant personnel observed solids in the facility’s finisher condensate and traced the issue to a leaking heat exchanger that allowed process materials to enter a condensate stream that discharged into a nearby creek.
Chief Ethanol said employees immediately redirected the affected process flow to another part of the facility, ending the discharge. The incident was promptly reported to the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment, and a formal non-compliance report has been submitted. The company says inspections and repairs are underway, along with additional measures to improve process routing and strengthen safeguards against similar abnormal operating conditions. Chief Ethanol said it is not aware of any impacts to public health or safety and will continue working with state regulators as the review process moves forward.
