The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) invites the public to provide comment on two draft air quality permit revisions for Duke Energy.
Duke Energy is seeking to retire coal-fired boilers at two power plants: Duke Energy Progress, LLC - Roxboro Steam Electric Plant in Person County, and Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC - Marshall Steam Station in Catawba County. These units would be replaced with new natural gas-fired turbines, leading to significant reductions in air emissions, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
DAQ will hold two public hearings to receive comments on each draft air quality permit. The first hearing on Nov. 12 will be to receive comments on Roxboro Steam Electric Plant’s draft air quality permit.
Public Hearing on Duke Energy Progress, LLC - Roxboro Steam Electric Plant
Date and Time: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Location: Piedmont Community College auditorium, Room D-101
Address: 1715 College Drive, Roxboro
The second public hearing on Nov. 19 will be to receive comments on Marshall Steam Station’s draft air quality permit.
Public Hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC - Marshall Steam Station
Date and Time: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Location: Lake Norman High School auditorium
Address: 186 Doolie Road, Mooresville
The proposal to replace coal with natural gas at these facilities is part of Duke Energy’s Carbon Plan submitted to the N.C. Utilities Commission to comply with the carbon dioxide emissions reductions required by Session Law 2021-165 (House Bill 951). The projects are associated with overall greenhouse gas emissions reductions from Duke Energy in North Carolina.
After two coal boilers at Marshall Steam Station are retired, the facility will emit 1,981 fewer tons of NOx and 1,196 fewer tons of SO2 each year. Retiring the six coal boilers at the Roxboro facility will lead to 4,130 fewer tons of NOx and 3,675 fewer tons of SO2 each year. Emissions of fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide and toxic air pollutants such as sulfuric acid, arsenic and a variety of heavy metals would also see substantial decreases.
The draft air quality permit requires that each new turbine be equipped with low-nitrogen oxide burners and be controlled by an oxidational catalyst and a selective catalytic reduction system. The facilities would also be required to continuously track emissions of several criteria air pollutants. Both plants would be subject to recordkeeping and reporting requirements and regular inspections.
Air dispersion modeling reviewed by DAQ demonstrated that emissions of toxic air pollutants at both facilities are not expected to cause an exceedance of any acceptable ambient level.
Copies of the respective public notice, draft permit, draft permit review, permit application and one-page project fact sheet for each facility are available online:
The public is encouraged to attend the upcoming public hearings and provide comments on the proposed actions. Sign-up will be available upon arrival. Oral comments at the hearings should be limited to three minutes or less. Written comments may also be submitted during the hearings.
Comments on these projects can also be submitted until Nov. 22, 2024, via the following methods:
Roxboro Steam Electric Plant Public Comments
- Email to DAQ.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “DukeRoxboro.24A” in the subject line
- Voicemail by calling at 919-707-8714
- Postal mail at the address below
Marshall Steam Station Public Comments
- Email to DAQ.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “DukeMarshall.24A” in the subject line
- Voicemail by calling at 919-707-8726.
- Postal mail at the address below
Mailed comments should be postmarked by Nov. 22 and addressed to:
NCDEQ Division of Air Quality
1628 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1628
DAQ will consider all public comments before making a final decision on the proposed permits.
If you need this information in Spanish or another language, please call 919-707-8446 or email Shawn.Taylor@deq.nc.gov.