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Duke Firing Up New Asheville Gas Capacity, Coal Units Done by Jan. 31
21 January 2020
Duke Energy Progress LLC told the North Carolina Utilities
Commission in a January 8 update that it is making progress with
start-up of new gas-fired capacity at the Asheville coal plant
site.
In March 2016, the Commission approved the two-unit Asheville
Combined Cycle Project (280 MW for each unit, 560 MW total), which
also involves retirement of the two existing coal units at the site
(combined 384 MW). This is called the Western Carolinas
Modernization Project.
On December 27, 2019, the new Power Block 1 and the common
systems that serve both combined-cycle units went into commercial
operation. Power Block 1 consists of the Unit 5 Combustion Turbine
and Unit 6 Steam Turbine Generator.
Power Block 2 consists of the Unit 7 Combustion Turbine and Unit
8 Steam Turbine Generator. During final testing and commissioning,
Power Block 2 experienced an equipment issue with the Unit 8 Steam
Turbine Generator, which the original manufacturer is repairing.
Duke said it expects to place the Unit 7 Combustion Turbine portion
of Power Block 2 into commercial operation in simple-cycle mode in
January. DEP currently expects to place the Unit 8 Steam Turbine
Generator into commercial operation in the first quarter of 2020,
after equipment repairs and final testing have been completed.
"DEP continues to plan to retire the Asheville Coal Units 1 and
2 by January 31, 2020, and to have sufficient generation capacity
to reliably serve DEP customers," the utility added.
