Bridgewater Hydro Station
- Capacity: 20 megawatts
- Location: McDowell and Burke counties, North Carolina
- Commercial Date: 1919
Bridgewater Hydro Station has two generating units. Located on Lake James in Morganton, N.C., it began commercial operation on May 4, 1919. Lake James, named after J. B. “Buck” Duke, spans McDowell and Burke counties, N.C., and is formed by damming three streams: the Catawba River, Paddy Creek, and the Linville River.
Bridgewater Hydro Station was named for the Southern Railway depot to which the materials to build the dam and hydro station were shipped.
Duke Energy’s Bridgewater Hydroelectric Project began in 2005 and consists of three dams: Linville, Paddy Creek and Catawba. Learn more about the Bridgewater Hydro Project.
