Marshall Steam Station
| Company type | Power plant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Headquarters | Sherrills Ford , United States |
Area served | North Carolina, Carolinas |
| Products | Electricity |
| Owner | Duke Energy |
Marshall Steam Station is a coal power plant situated in Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, within Catawba County, North Carolina, and is owned by Duke Energy. The facility, named after former company president E.C. Marshall, is positioned on the shores of Lake Norman and commenced commercial operations in 1965.
As Duke Energy's second largest coal-fired plant in the Carolinas, Marshall produces 2.09 GW of electricity, sufficient to supply power to approximately two million households.
Description
The station comprises four generating units: two units each rated at 350 MWe that began service in 1965 and 1966, and two additional units rated at 648 MWe that started operating in 1969 and 1970.
To control nitrogen oxide emissions, the boilers utilize a specialized burner configuration that maintains levels well below regulatory thresholds. From 2004 through late 2007, Duke Energy implemented scrubber technology that cut sulfur dioxide emissions by nearly 95%.
In December 2014, Duke obtained permission to release coal ash containing heavy metals into Lake Norman as part of repairs to a leaking pipeline.
Water quality tests conducted in August 2015 detected elevated trihalomethanes (THMs) near Charlotte. These were associated with Duke’s application of calcium bromide at both Marshall and Allen Steam Stations since 2013 to comply with federal air pollution standards, including mercury reduction efforts. The use of bromide was discontinued by Duke in May 2015. It is important to note that these findings are separate from ongoing concerns regarding coal ash disposal impacting drinking water sources.
Groundwater flow at Marshall moves toward Lake Norman, with contaminated ash disposal areas bordering roughly 30 feet of shoreline adjacent to the largest ash basin.
In October 2015, a sinkhole developed at the base of the Marshall dam on Lake Norman. Following directives from the Department of Environmental Quality, Duke installed a liner and filled the cavity with crushed stone.