Representatives from North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives joined Duke Energy executives, elected officials and community leaders on Friday, June 1 to celebrate the opening of the new 750-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant at the W.S. Lee Station in Anderson County, South Carolina. North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC)—the generation and transmission arm of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives—owns 100 megawatts of the new plant, which began service in April 2018.
“We are pleased to partner with Duke Energy to bring highly efficient natural gas power to our diverse power supply mix,” said Mike Burnette, senior vice president and chief operating officer for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “This project provides a reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible source of power that will greatly benefit our members.”
More than half of NCEMC’s power already comes from emissions-free nuclear energy, and the incorporation of this new low-emissions natural gas power, along with renewables, continues North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ commitment to clean and efficient generation. It also adds diversity and flexibility to its power portfolio, which helps ensure the reliability and resiliency of the electric grid. In addition, NCEMC’s ownership in this new state-of-the-art plant dovetails with other investments the state’s electric cooperatives are making in innovative technologies to better serve members and meet their evolving needs.
Learn more about our pursuit of new energy solutions and the resources and technologies we use to produce and deliver electricity in the Energy & Innovation section of our website.
Mike Burnette of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives shakes hands with Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good.
Photos courtesy of Duke Energy