Belews Creek Power Station
| Company type | Power station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Headquarters | Stokes County, North Carolina , United States |
Area served | Carolinas |
| Products | Electricity |
| Owner | Duke Energy |
| Website | www |
Belews Creek Steam Station is a coal-powered facility with a capacity of 2.24 GW, consisting of two generating units situated on the shores of Belews Lake in Stokes County, North Carolina. As the largest coal plant owned by Duke Energy in the Carolinas, it stands out as one of the most efficient coal-fired stations across the United States. In 2006, it ranked fifth nationwide in efficiency, operating with a heat rate of 9,023 Btu/kWh, corresponding to 37.8% efficiency. By 2008, it had risen to become the top-performing coal plant in the country, achieving a heat rate of 9,204 Btu/kWh (37.1% efficiency). Further enhancements made in 2018 to Unit-1’s back-pass design elevated its performance, positioning it as the second most efficient coal plant globally.
The facility was brought online in 1974 and 1975 with two units equipped with Babcock & Wilcox supercritical boilers functioning at 3,400 psi and producing steam at temperatures reaching 1,000°F. It houses four Westinghouse generators divided into two low-pressure and two high/intermediate-pressure machines. While the original steam turbines were manufactured by Westinghouse, they have since been retrofitted with Alstom parts; however, the turbine valves remain from the initial Westinghouse installation.
State-of-the-art emission reduction technologies are integrated within the plant, including selective catalytic reduction systems targeting nitrogen oxide emissions, electrostatic precipitators for capturing fly ash, and low NOx burner technology. A substantial investment of $500 million led to the implementation of a flue-gas desulfurization system that became operational in early 2008, resulting in a 95% decrease in sulfur dioxide output.