The new, modern natural gas plant situated in Rockingham County is said to have been constructed as part of Duke Energy’s efforts to retire its old and less efficient coal plants and replace them with modern and more efficient gas-fired plants.
New gas-fueled electricity generating plants are expected to result in decreased emissions and generate cleaner power.
Dan River combined cycle plant is expected to produce enough electricity to power about half million homes in the region.
The new facility is said to have almost double the capacity of producing electricity than the old and retired coal units at the same site.
Duke Energy North Carolina president Paul Newton said the new plant is an advanced technology facility.
"The Dan River Plant represents the overall plans of Duke Energy to invest in our communities and install new state-of-the-art power generation that will provide safe, reliable and increasingly clean energy for North Carolina," Newton added.
