CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lower customer
costs, regional economic growth, increased efficiency and
flexibility are potential benefits of a recent agreement between
Duke Energy and Siemens.
Duke Energy submitted plans to the North Carolina Utilities
Commission (NCUC) today for expansion of its Lincoln County
Combustion Turbine (LCCT) generation site. The proposal includes
Siemens as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)
contractor for the project, including supply of the advanced gas
turbine unit.
Approximately 400 megawatts of peaking energy will be needed to
meet Duke Energy customers' needs in the Carolinas by 2024.
Approval for early construction provides Siemens with an
opportunity to build and test its newest gas turbine technologies
in time to meet that need. Following construction, testing and
validation, the new unit will be turned over to Duke Energy for
operation. The proposed unit would be the most efficient combustion
turbine in the Duke Energy fleet and around 25 percent more
efficient than the existing Lincoln
County turbines.
"This unique arrangement with Siemens offers a significant cost
savings to our customers while providing one of the most advanced,
efficient gas turbine units in the U.S.," said David Fountain, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "This new technology
will provide us with flexible peaking power needed to complement
intermittent solar energy resources for our customers and lower
emissions across our fleet."
Siemens manufactures and services gas turbines, steam turbines
and generators at its Charlotte Energy Hub.
"Our cooperation with Duke Energy is a very important step in
our roadmap to further drive the efficiency of natural gas
generation," said Willi Meixner, CEO
of Siemens Power and Gas Division. "In addition to meeting the
needs of Duke Energy customers, the proposed project supports jobs
and the Carolina economy."
Pending regulatory approval, construction could begin as early
as mid-2018, with gas turbine testing beginning in 2020 on Duke
Energy's 746-acre site near Denver,
N.C. The site currently houses 16 gas-fueled, simple-cycle
combustion turbines capable of generating 1,200 megawatts during
short periods when customers' needs are highest.
The Lincoln County site,
completed in 1995, includes existing infrastructure such as access
to natural gas and transmission connections, making it suitable for
expansion.
About Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.,
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company
is available at duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia
resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links,
photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination
is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and
community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into
the past and insights into the future of energy.
Follow Duke Energy on Twitter,
LinkedIn, Instagram and
Facebook.
About Siemens
Siemens
Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a
global powerhouse focusing on the areas of electrification,
automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers
of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a
leading supplier of systems for power generation and transmission
as well as medical diagnosis. With approximately 351,000 employees
in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide revenue of
$88.1 billion in fiscal 2016. Siemens
in the USA reported revenue of
$23.7 billion, including $5.4 billion in exports, and employs
approximately 50,000 people throughout all 50 states and
Puerto Rico. Follow Siemens
USA on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/SiemensUSA
Duke Energy media contact: Rick Rhodes
24-hour media line: 800.559.3853
Siemens media contact: Jeffrey
Grappone
Media line: 202.368.3854
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energy-and-siemens-enter-innovative-agreement-for-advanced-gas-turbine-technologies-300472577.html
SOURCE Duke Energy