. ▁ ▁Power ▁complex ▁ ▁Carolina ▁Power ▁& ▁Light ▁Company ' s ▁G olds bor o ▁Plant ▁in ▁Wayne ▁County ▁began ▁generating ▁electric ity ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁A ▁second ▁pul ver ized ▁coal ▁unit ▁was ▁installed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁A ▁third ▁coal ▁unit , ▁which ▁generated ▁ 2 5 2 - MW , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁coal - f ired ▁facility ▁that ▁was ▁completely ▁controlled ▁by ▁an ▁electronic ▁computer . ▁When ▁the ▁third ▁unit ▁came ▁into ▁operation ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁the ▁plant ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁H . F . ▁Lee ▁Plant ▁after ▁Harry ▁Fitz h ugh ▁Lee , ▁a ▁retired ▁district ▁manager ▁with ▁Carolina ▁Power ▁& ▁Light . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁four ▁oil - f ue led ▁comb ust ion ▁tur bine ▁units ▁were ▁added . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Carolina ▁Power ▁and ▁Light ▁Company ▁agreed ▁to ▁buy ▁the ▁Florida ▁Progress ▁Corporation . ▁The ▁mer ger ▁was ▁complete ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁the ▁combined ▁company ▁was ▁called ▁Progress ▁Energy . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁company ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁coal - f ired ▁units ▁and ▁comb ust ion ▁tur b ines ▁at ▁the ▁H . F . ▁Lee ▁Plant ▁would ▁be ▁retired . ▁Progress ▁Energy ▁merged ▁with ▁Duke ▁Energy ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁The ▁three ▁coal - f ired ▁units ▁were ▁shut ▁down ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁September ▁