Natural gas-fueled Replace Coal-Fired Power Plant in Raleigh

Energy Carolinas held today announced plans to permanently close three coal-fired power plant units near Goldsboro state regulations and seek approval to build a new, state-of-the-art natural gas-fueled facilities on the site.

As proposed, the new plant will increase the amount of electricity that can be produced at the site approximately 550 megawatts (MW), while reducing overall emissions, including carbon dioxide. In additional capacity that will be used to meet the needs of a growing and customer service areas to provide additional resources for flexibility.

The Company today filed a certificate for public convenience and needs of the NC Utilities Commission, under the legislation signed into law in July. A petition requesting approval to build 950-MW combined cycle natural gas plant that will replace the existing 397 MW coal-fired generation in the HF Lee Plant in Wayne County. The project represents the total investment about $ 900 million and expected in service in early 2013. This is expected to create up to 500 construction jobs during the 24-month development process.

The near-term in-service date is required to ensure accordance with the Laws NC Clean Smokestacks, which establishes more stringent emissions-reduction target in 2013. In addition to approximately 60 percent reduction in facility-level emissions of carbon dioxide, the new unit will reduce emissions from the facility level to 100 percent with the mercury, sulfur dioxides, by almost 100 percent and nitrogen oxides by more than 95 percent.

“This is an important milestone for our company and for our country,” said Lloyd Yates, President and CEO of Progress Energy Carolinas. “Lee has a plant producing electricity reliably and cost-effective for our customers for over 50 years, but as emissions continue to change targets, and as a law to reduce carbon emissions may appear, we believe that in this case, it’s in the interests of our customers to invest in advanced-design, clean-burning for the future generation.

“Coal-fueled power will continue to be important for our ability to meet the needs of customers and Affordably ‘n trusted in the years ahead,” said Yates. “We have invested more than $ 1.3 billion in clean-air equipment in our largest unit, and we have to reduce emissions drastically. Our goal is to maintain the right balance of resources – nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, solar, biomass and energy efficiency – to make our company and the country more energy self-sufficiency and to minimize the risk of customers because of price spikes in the cost of excitement or supply a source of fuel. ”

Lee three-unit coal plant built in 1951, 1952 and 1962. They are in the Neuse River west of Goldsboro. In 2000, the company that built the four combustion-turbine units (fueled interchangeably by natural gas or oil) on a site adjacent to the Lee Plant, Wayne County called Energy Complex. Earlier this year, the fifth combustion turbine was added in Wayne County. Between units that are used primarily as a peaking plant to meet increasing electricity demand in the coldest and hottest days of the year.

Wayne County is the site big enough to accommodate the additional gas-fueled generation. The project will include building and the need to improve some electricity transmission facilities on the site to move the power where needed. Unlike the existing gas-fired units in Wayne County, the new unit will be operated in combined cycle. The addition will include three combustion turbines added to the additional equipment to recover exhaust heat to generate steam. Steam is used to produce additional electricity without the need for additional fuel. Make this unit very efficient. Unit operating in combined-cycle mode is used as “intermediate” plant, cycling up and down throughout the day to meet the changing needs of electricity customers.

Last month, the NC General Assembly approved legislation to facilitate a technology switch this sort. Senate Bill 1004 establish efficient certification process (45 days versus the standard process, which takes six months or more) to enable Progress Energy to shut down the coal units and replace them with natural gas-fueled technology, rather than investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the flue-gas desulfurization technology, or scrubbers, on the old, less-efficient coal units. Certification is a short period so that the company needed to replace coal-fired plants by 2013, when the country became stricter emissions target effects.

This project will also involve construction of piped natural gas to fuel a new unit. Pipeline that will provide additional benefits of the expanding volume of gas supply to the deeper East North Carolina. Future capacity expansion of gas which can be a catalyst for economic growth and development, such as industry to see the locations where natural gas is available. Plan pipes that have not been completed.

“This is the best of both worlds,” said Yates. “Advanced technology, which brings clean air in about three years, and the extension of gas infrastructure to attract and retain business and industry to create employment and economic growth for years to come.”

There are about 70 employees in the Lee Plant. The company is working to ensure that as many as possible there will be new jobs in the facilities or opportunities to move to another position in the company’s facilities.