Cowans Ford — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 2722
- Capacity
- 350 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Lincoln, NC
- Operating Since
- 1963
- Generators
- 4
- Operator
- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
- Parent Company
- Duke Energy
- Annual Generation
- 182,023 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 5.9%
- Balancing Authority
- Duke Energy Carolinas
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- SERC
Cowans Ford
OperatingHydro
Ranked #1 of 38 Hydro plants in NC#64 of 1454 nationally
350 MW Hydro operating in Lincoln, NC — Duke Energy Carolinas
EIAGEMWD
350 MW
Nameplate Capacity
4
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1963
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
35.4346, -80.9588
County
Lincoln, NC
Nearby Plants
- McGuireNuclear2440.6 MW · 0.9 km
- Freemont Solar Center LLCSolar5 MW · 3.6 km
- McDowell Creek Solar LLCSolar2 MW · 4.7 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Duke Energy Carolinas | — |
| Owner(s) | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Duke Energy | Duke Energy |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station is a hydroelectric power plant and dam located near Huntersville, North Carolina, approximately 20 miles north of Charlotte on Lake Norman. It is the largest conventional hydro station owned by Duke Energy, generating up to 350 MW of power.
Read more on WikipediaCowans Ford is a 350 MW conventional hydroelectric power plant located in Lincoln County, North Carolina. The plant began operating in 1963 and is owned and operated by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a subsidiary of Duke Energy. It utilizes water as its primary fuel source and consists of four generators. Cowans Ford is the largest hydroelectric plant out of eight in North Carolina, and ranks 64th out of 194 hydroelectric plants nationally.
The plant operates within the Duke Energy Carolinas balancing authority and the SERC NERC region. In the most recent year with available data, Cowans Ford generated 182,023 MWh of electricity, resulting in a capacity factor of 5.9%. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $448.44 per kW and a power purchase agreement (PPA) price of $25 per MWh.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
SERC
Balancing Authority
Duke Energy Carolinas
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
13.6K MWh
Latest Month
182.0K MWh
Annual Generation
5.9%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1, FERC Electric Quarterly ReportsHIGH
$25.0/MWh
PPA Price
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
Contract Seller
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
Regulatory·permitting
Duke Energy Progress, LLC, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Federal Register (FERC)·1 weeks ago
Regulatory·permitting
Duke Energy Progress, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Federal Register (FERC)·1 weeks ago
Regulatory·permitting
Duke Energy Progress, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Federal Register (FERC)·1 weeks ago
Regulatory·permitting
Duke Energy Progress, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Federal Register (FERC)·1 weeks ago
Last updated 2026-03-25
View all 10 articles