N.C. power group seeks nuclear loan

Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy has taken the first of two steps in applying for a U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) federal energy loan guarantee. The money would build a proposed nuclear station .

According to Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, the money—for construction of the proposed William States Lee III Nuclear Station , sited in Cherokee County, S.C.—will help the utility to better provide clean, affordable electrical power to its clients.

“Filing this application with the DOE can lead to long-term benefits for our customers,” he said. “Loan guarantees allow utilities to lower capital costs for new nuclear construction, which ultimately leads to lower electricity prices for consumers.”

The new facility will be a two-unit nuclear plant that uses Westinghouse’s AP1000 advanced passive pressurized water reactor technology. Duke Energy—one of the largest electric power companies in the United States—supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 4 million U.S. customers. The company has approximately 35,000 MW of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas; it also offers natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky.

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