Dan River Steam Station
| Company type | Energy facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Power generation |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Headquarters | Eden , United States |
| Products | Electricity (natural gas turbines) |
| Owner | Duke Energy |
The Dan River Steam Station is an energy facility located in Eden, North Carolina and is owned by Duke Energy. Presently, it operates three combustion turbines powered by natural gas that were commissioned in 1968. Plans are underway to install two additional natural gas combined cycle turbines. The site's former coal-fired plant was decommissioned in 2012.
History
The construction of the Dan River Steam Station commenced in 1949 and reached completion in 1950. At that time, coal units 1 and 2 represented a $15 million investment and were considered technologically advanced. Six years later, a third unit was incorporated into the plant. Currently, the facility is undergoing a transition from coal to natural gas through the installation of new combined cycle units.
This power station played a pivotal role in the 1971 Supreme Court case Griggs v. Duke Power Co., which contested Duke Energy's policy requiring a high school diploma and an intelligence test for certain employment positions. The Court determined that these requirements were discriminatory because they disproportionately excluded African-American workers without being directly related to job performance, establishing an important precedent under Title VII regarding employment discrimination.
Closure of coal operations
Operations of the coal-fired plant ended in 2012, and Duke Energy finalized the demolition of all coal-related structures by 2017.
Coal ash spill incident of 2014
On February 2, 2014, a drainage pipe connected to a coal ash containment pond ruptured, discharging approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash along with 27 million gallons of wastewater into the Dan River, resulting in extensive environmental harm. Duke Energy admitted guilt to charges of criminal negligence concerning coal ash management at this and other facilities, leading to significant financial penalties. In 2019, states impacted by the spill initiated legal action aiming to hold Duke Energy responsible for the ecological damage caused.
Installation of combined cycle turbines
In 2007, Duke Energy requested authorization to add two combined cycle natural gas units with capacities of 620 MW each—one at Dan River Steam Station and another at Buck Steam Station located in Rowan County. This initiative aimed to diversify fuel sources, enhance output capacity, and modernize power generation by decreasing dependence on less efficient coal technology. After these units became operational, the three older coal-fired units were retired in 2012.