To ensure reliability and provide energy when customers need it the most, Duke Energy added a new 402-megawatt simple-cycle combustion turbine generator to its existing Lincoln Combustion Turbine Station near Denver, N.C.
The new unit synced to the grid for the first time in May 2020, and a four-year testing process (2020-2024) is underway.
Building the advanced unit at the Lincoln station represents an investment in a smarter, more efficient energy future for Duke Energy. The project provided millions in work to local subcontractors, created more than 400 temporary jobs during the height of construction and increased the local property tax base.
When fully operational in 2024, the new unit will be the most efficient simple-cycle combustion turbine in Duke Energy's fleet and about 34% more efficient than the existing combustion turbines at the Lincoln station.
The new unit will also give Duke Energy more flexibility – supporting the company's growing portfolio of solar generation, quickly starting to meet customer demand when the sun isn't shining and helping the company continue its plan to close older, less efficient coal-fired units.
The existing 746-acre Lincoln site was ideal for expansion because of available land and access to existing transmission and natural gas connections.
The North Carolina Utilities Commission approved the project in December 2017, and construction started in September 2018.
Innovative agreement benefits customersDuke Energy and Siemens Energy have an innovative agreement that allows Siemens Energy to test its newest advanced natural gas combustion turbine technology at the Lincoln site.
Duke Energy customers receive the unit's energy during the four-year testing period while only paying some fuel costs.
When extended technology testing is completed in 2024, Duke Energy will begin operating the unit, which will supply enough energy to power more than 300,000 homes in the Carolinas.
Learn more about what makes the new unit advanced.