Duke Energy Corporation has filed an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity, or CPCN, with the North Carolina Utilities Commission for the Western Carolinas Modernization Project. The CPCN application seeks approval to construct two 280-megawatt combined cycle natural gas-fueled electric generating units to replace its coal plant in Asheville. The application also includes a contingent natural gas-fueled 186-megawatt simple cycle combustion turbine unit.

The simple cycle peaking unit could be delayed or eliminated based on the success of programs to reduce energy use in the region. Duke Energy will file a future CPCN application to seek approval for a minimum of 15 megawatts of new solar generation over the next seven years after the Asheville Plant's coal units have been decommissioned and coal ash excavation is completed. The company also plans to seek approval to install a minimum of 5 megawatts of utility-scale electricity storage over the next seven years.

Duke Energy will continue to evaluate other investments in renewables and other technologies to cost-effectively meet the needs of its customers. The company is continuing to work with the Asheville, Buncombe County and surrounding communities to explore and maximize programs and innovative energy solutions to reduce energy use in the fast-growing, nine-county Duke Energy Progress-West region, which serves more than 350,000 people. The natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plants are scheduled to begin serving customers by late 2019 and will have significantly lower environmental impacts than the existing coal plant.

Sulfur dioxide will be reduced by an estimated 90% to 95%. Nitrogen oxide will be reduced by an estimated 35%. Mercury will be eliminated.

Water withdrawals will be reduced by an estimated 97%. Water discharges will be reduced by an estimated 50%. Carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by about 60%, on a per-megawatt-hour basis, due to the efficiency of the new gas units and the fact that natural gas burns more cleanly than coal.

The smaller combined cycle gas units have efficiency ratings similar to the original plan, which enables the units to be about 35% less expensive to operate than the existing coal units. These savings will be annually passed on to customers dollar-for-dollar via the company's annual fuel clause adjustment. Upgrades to existing transmission equipment on the Asheville Plant site are also planned as part of this project.