Duke Energy implodes second boiler unit in North Carolina

 Duke Energy imploded another boiler unit May 1, at the retired coal-fired L.V. Sutton Plant as part of the company’s effort to generate energy using cleaner, more efficient sources in North Carolina.

For nearly 50 years, the essential steps of the coal combustion process occurred inside the boiler, where the coal was burned to the produce steam that turned the turbine and generator. These steps ultimately produced reliable and affordable electricity for customers across the region.

The company retired the coal units in 2013 after a new, more efficient natural gas-fired plant was brought online at the site.

This is the second in a series of three implosion events to take place at the Sutton Plant. The final demolition event will be completed later this fall.

View a historical feature story about this plant here: illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/l-v-sutton-plant:-the-generation-has-changed-but-not-the-dedication.

To learn more about the company’s coal plant decommissioning program, visit duke-energy.com/coal-decommissioning.

With more than 250,000 tons of coal ash removed from the Sutton Plant ash basins, Duke Energy continues to make progress moving ash by rail from the site to a fully lined structural fill at the Brickhaven mine site in central North Carolina.

The company is focused on closing ash basins across the state in ways that put safety first, protect the environment, minimize impact to local communities and manage costs.

Permitting is also underway to construct a fully lined landfill on Sutton plant property, which will store the majority of the ash from the basins.

For additional information about ash basin closure at the Sutton Plant, please visit duke-energy.com/sutton.