Duke Energy to seek NC approval for natural gas project in Charlotte area
Duke Energy is looking to build two natural gas-powered generators in Rowan County, taking its next steps to power the growing Charlotte region.
The Charlotte-base utility notified the state’s Utilities Commission Thursday that it will be requesting permission to build two natural gas-powered combustion turbines at the former Buck Steam Station site, according to Duke Energy spokesman Bill Norton.
The former coal plant is on Duke Energy-owned land. The new generators would be near the utility’s existing 718-megawatt natural gas-fired combined-cycle plant, which came online in 2011.
Costs haven’t been determined, Norton said. And once they are, any possible rate changes would need to be reviewed by the commission.
The new units would generate 850 megawatts of energy and would be the utility’s most efficient generators, reaching full power within 10 to 15 minutes, Norton said. That amount of energy could power more than 600,000 homes.
Duke’s notification to the commission is called a preliminary filing. With that filing, Duke must wait at least 120 days to submit a formal application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity. That application will include more details on the project and would start a review process that includes permit filings and public input.
The Charlotte Business Journal first reported the news.
Why does Duke Energy need new generators?
With the Charlotte region’s exponential growth, energy demand is high.
Duke Energy predicts that in the next 15 years, Carolina customers’ annual electric use will increase by about 58,000 gigawatt-hours. The utility said that amount of energy is higher than the combined annual electric consumption of Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming.
Why put the plant in Rowan County?
The Buck’s coal plant was retired in 2013 and demolished in 2018.
Building new generators on the site allows the utility to repurpose its land and maximize the existing infrastructure, Norton said. Especially since there’s a natural gas facility nearby.
The new generators will tap into the existing natural gas pipeline.
Plus, Duke Energy has an ongoing relationship with Rowan County.
“Duke Energy employees have powered the economy of the greater Salisbury region for generations,” Norton said. “They live here, they give back here, they want to ensure a strong future for Rowan County.”
Duke Energy is Rowan County’s largest taxpayer. And the project, if approved, would lead to the hiring of 600 to 800 construction jobs and add up to 10 permanent roles at the site. Currently, the site employs 35 people.
It’s unclear what the financial investment would be. If approved, construction on the project would begin in 2028 and the generators would be operational by 2030.
“We are committed to reinvesting in our power plant communities, providing local jobs and a continued tax base for decades to come,” Norton said.
