Combined Cycle Gas Plants Taking Over Coal Generation at a Fast Clip
Duke Energy (ticker: DUK; Duke-Energy.com), one of the power generation giants, is wasting no time replacing coal plants with state of the art gas-fired plants–big ones. Duke will break ground for a new 1,640 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant in Citrus County, Florida, on March 2. The plant will provide electricity to 1.7 million customers in Florida starting in 2018.
The combined-cycle natural gas plant is among the largest under construction in the industry and one of the most important projects for Duke Energy, Duke said in a press release. It will replace electrical generation from plant retirements, including two 1960s-era coal-fired plants.
The plant’s first 820 megawatts are expected to come online in spring 2018, and the second 820 megawatts are expected to come online by December 2018. One megawatt powers about a thousand homes. The Citrus plant will be the second largest generator for Duke Energy Florida. The largest is the 1,912 megawatt Hines Energy Complex near Bartow.
Duke Energy’s Proposed 1,640 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant breaks ground March 2.
Construction for the plant is projected to have an area economic benefit of more than $600 million and will create 600 to 700 temporary construction jobs. Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems is manufacturing the combustion turbine generators in Japan and Savannah, Ga. Fluor is the primary contractor for the plant.
