Duke Energy Applies for Nuclear Power License

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Duke Energy today submitted a combined construction and operating license (COL) application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a proposed two-unit nuclear station in Cherokee County, S.C.

 

 

 

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Duke Energy today submitted a combined construction and operating license (COL) application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a proposed two-unit nuclear station in Cherokee County, S.C.

"Submitting the COL application to the NRC is an important step for our customers and company," said Brew Barron, Duke Energy chief nuclear officer. "This allows us to move forward in keeping the new nuclear generation option available in meeting the growing energy needs of the Carolinas."

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Duke Energy Carolinas' resource needs are expected to increase by 10,700 megawatts by 2027. The proposed two-unit William States Lee III Nuclear Station will have a capacity of 2,234 megawatts.

In 2005, Duke Energy announced plans to pursue a new nuclear station in the Carolinas, and began preparing the COL application for two Westinghouse AP1000 (advanced passive) generating units.

"We look forward to the NRC's review of our application. The new nuclear licensing process is expected to be more predictable as companies prepare to add new baseload plants," said Bryan Dolan, vice president of nuclear plant development.

Duke Energy is the fourth company to submit a COL application to the NRC under the revised licensing process, and the first to submit an application for a greenfield site. The Duke Energy application uses TVA's Bellefonte COL application as the Westinghouse AP1000 reference application.

In addition to submitting the COL for a possible new nuclear station, Duke Energy is also moving forward with expanded demand-side management and energy efficiency programs, an 800-megawatt coal unit at Cliffside Steam Station in North Carolina, licensing and permitting of new combined-cycle/peaking units at Buck and Dan River steam stations in North Carolina, and evaluation of options for renewable generation and other near- and long-term resources to meet customers' needs well into the future.

Duke Energy's Carolinas operations include nuclear, coal-fired, natural gas and hydroelectric generation. That diverse fuel mix provides nearly 21,000 megawatts of safe, reliable and competitively priced electricity to more than 2.3 million electric customers in a 24,000-square-mile service area of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the United States, supplies and delivers energy to approximately 4 million U.S. customers. The company has approximately 37,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky. In addition, Duke Energy has more than 4,000 megawatts of electric generation in Latin America, and is a joint- venture partner in a U.S. real estate company.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.