North Carolina’s Electric Membership Corporation’s Need for Additional Generation

Two Peaking Plants in Anson and Richmond Counties

The North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC) has the obligation to provide reliable and affordable electric power for its members. In order to fulfill this obligation, NCEMC began commercial operation on a peak generating plant in Anson County on June 1, 2007. Another peak generating plant near the town of Hamlet in Richmond County is currently under construction and will begin commercial operation before the end of 2007. The need for these peaking plants is twofold: to replace the power supplied by expiring power supply contracts and to meet the growing energy needs of North Carolina electric cooperative consumers.

Over the past 15 years, peak demand and energy usage by the state’s electric cooperatives has averaged approximately 4.5 percent per year. In the next 12 years, the annual growth rate is expected to be 2.6 percent.

This growth is coupled with expiring long-term power purchase contracts with various wholesale power suppliers. From the end of 2004 through the end of 2013, 1,261 MW of contract power will expire from the NCEMC portfolio.

These two power plants will supply approximately 600 megawatts (MW). In addition to these plants, NCEMC has also signed long-term power purchase agreements with Progress Energy, which will supply a minimum of 300 MW through 2024.

For more information on the peaking plants, explore the topics below.

Peaking Plants Overview

Modern Technology, Low Impact

Anson County Site Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond County Site Frequently Asked Questions

RUS Environmental Analysis [Download PDF]

Finding of No Significant Impact [Download PDF]

Siting Study and Environmental Overview [Download PDF]
*Large file will take a few minutes to download.

Alternative Evaluation Study [Download PDF]

<<Back