Duke Energy and Siemens enter innovative agreement for advanced gas turbine technologies
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 EnergyHeadquartered
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.
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About SiemensSiemens
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.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.duke-energy.com