Md. power plant found to be source of oily substance in Potomac River

An oily substance discovered floating in the Potomac River last week has been found to have originated from a Maryland power plant.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been leading the investigation into finding the source of the unidentified substance. On Monday, authorities announced a power plant operated by NRG Energy located in Dickerson, Maryland, was determined to be the source of the leak into the river.

The plume substance was first spotted floating in the Potomac River back on Nov. 27 near Point of Rocks, Maryland. While it has still not been officially identified, the substance may be something similar to a hydraulic fluid or lubricant, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) officials said about early testing of the substance last week.

The oily substance has not been at or near its Potomac River intake and has not affected the drinking water provided to its customers, according to WSSC.