Construction is underway for the new 1,640 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant in Citrus County, Fla. As part owner, Duke Energy will be able to closely monitor and contribute to the success of the pipeline. This investment also complements Duke Energy’s strategy to build critical natural gas pipeline infrastructure in the Southeast.
In September 2014, Duke Energy became a 40-percent owner of the proposed 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline that will cross West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. The plant’s first 820 megawatts are expected to come online in spring 2018, and the second 820 megawatts are expected to come online by December 2018. Construction and related activities are expected to add several million dollars to the local tax base and economy.
During the height of construction, 600 to 700 temporary jobs are to be created. Once construction is complete, 50 to 75 workers will be needed to operate the plant. The project’s engineering, procurement and construction contractor, Fluor, is expected to start hiring workers gradually in 2016.
The plant will receive natural gas through a new pipeline Sabal Trail Transmission is constructing. The $3-billion pipeline will start in Alabama, extend through Georgia and end in Central Florida. Sabal Trail Transmission will license, construct and operate the natural gas pipeline.