New Generation Protecting the Environment While Meeting Growing Power Demand
One of Duke Energy’s top priorities is to determine the most efficient and environmentally sound way to meet our customers’ growing demand for electricity over the next 10 to 15 years. That’s why we are considering several options:
- Constructing a nuclear power plant in the Carolinas
- Constructing a modern and state-of-the-art “super critical” pulverized coal-fired plant and retiring older, less efficient coal units in the Carolinas
- Constructing an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant that transforms coal into a synthetic gas to produce electricity in Indiana
- Pursuing additional energy efficiency and conservation measures to reduce our customers’ demand for electricity
- Pursuing renewable power plant technologies.
We Must Act Now To Meet Future Power Demand
In the Carolinas, Duke Energy adds between 40,000 and 60,000 new customers annually. In Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, we add between 11,000 and 16,000 new customers annually. The company has met customer growth in recent years through efficient power plant operations, building or purchasing peaking power plants and purchasing economical power on the wholesale market. The company’s last base-load plants were completed in 1986 in the Carolinas and 1991 in the Midwest.
It takes 6 to 10 years to plan, permit and construct large base-load power plants, which are designed to provide economical power 24 hours a day. This is why the company is working now to plan for new power plants that will be needed beginning in 2011, when we expect to have more than 250,000 new customers to serve.
Duke Energy is required by law and the state utility commissions to meet the electric power needs of its customers as economically and reliably as possible. Duke Energy’s performs an extensive analysis each year to update its forecasts for future customer power demand and studies all viable and economical options to meet demand.
Protecting the Environment
Our new generation strategy is focused on minimizing carbon dioxide emissions by building a new nuclear power plant, modernizing our coal fleet, advancing IGCC technologies and expanding energy efficiency and conservation programs. This strategy builds on our current investments of nearly $3.5 billion to install sulfur dioxide scrubbers and other emission control technologies on coal plants in Duke Energy’s electric service areas in five states to reduce our environmental impacts.
Duke Energy advocates an economy-wide climate change policy to ensure carbon dioxide emissions are reduced in all sectors of the economy and to avoid inconsistent state regulations. Learn more about Duke Energy’s position on climate change.
Safe Harbor Statement
Some of the statements in this section of the Web site concerning future company business are forward-looking within the meanings of the securities laws. Actual results may materially differ from those in this forward-looking information. Refer to additional information contained in Duke Energy and Cinergy’s 2005 Form 10-Ks filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other SEC filings, concerning factors that could cause results to be different than contemplated in this information.
Energy Efficiency & Conservation Initiatives
Carolinas Survey on Electricity Generation
