A Brighter Energy Future Starts in Anson County
Anson Power Plant Expansion
Anson Power Plant Expansion
North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC) is expanding its existing Anson Power Plant. Located in Lilesville, the Anson Power Plant generates power for 21 of the state’s cooperatives during times of peak energy demand from consumers.
The current facility began operation in 2007 and consists of 12 natural gas combustion turbines, providing more than 300 MW of electricity. Natural gas plants are an important part of our effort to provide reliable, affordable electricity because they ramp up quickly, responding to near real-time power needs. This is especially critical during times of high demand. The expansion of the Anson Power Plant will ensure NCEMC can continue to meet the needs of its member cooperatives across the state.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are not-for-profit power providers, committed to a Brighter Future for North Carolina. Collectively, the state’s 26 electric cooperatives serve more than 1 million homes, farms, and businesses from the mountains to the coast. Looking to the decade ahead and beyond, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives remain focused on providing electricity that is affordable and reliable.
Facts about Anson Peaking Generation Facility
- Generation type – Two natural gas combustion turbines
- Size – Approximately 860 MW of additional generation capacity
- Purpose – Provide peak power generation during times of highest demand
- Projected Timeline – Site construction from 2030 through 2032.
Commitment to Anson County
The project will add more than $1 billion to Anson County’s tax base. The expansion has been planned to minimize impacts on the surrounding community and will occupy approximately 35 acres of the existing 171-acre site.
Stay Up to Date
North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives will post project updates, including key regulatory milestones, public information, and construction updates here on our website.
North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives is a family of three organizations that serves the state’s 26 distribution electric cooperatives. One of those three organizations is North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC), a wholesale power provider for the state’s distribution cooperatives.
Questions and Answers
The plant construction and expansion will contribute more than $1 billion to Anson County’s tax base. The project will have minimal impact on the surrounding community, and NCEMC will include more details on impact studies in the full CPCN filing.
No. The purpose of the Anson Power Plant is to serve organic load growth, and it is not being built to serve data centers or other large loads.
Natural gas is an important part of our effort to provide reliable, affordable electricity to the state’s electric cooperatives and the members they serve. Our energy portfolio is diverse and 60 percent carbon-free thanks predominantly to nuclear energy, as well as renewable energy. Natural gas can be dispatched in real-time when demand is high, which happens most frequently at times when renewable generation is low.
NCEMC’s initial filing is just the first step in an extensive regulatory and public review process. The next major step is the submission of a full application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. The public will have multiple opportunities to provide input.
In addition, NCEMC will host an information session for the nearby community. Details about that meeting will be posted on this website when they are final.