Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 54276
- Capacity
- 32 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Technology
- Natural Gas Steam Turbine, Petroleum Liquids
- Status
- Standby
- Location
- Orange, NC
- Operating Since
- 1991
- Generators
- 3
- Operator
- University of North Carolina
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 54,232 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 19.4%
- Balancing Authority
- Duke Energy Carolinas
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- SERC
Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility
StandbyDistillate OilNatural GasHybrid
Ranked #18 of 21 Natural Gas plants in NC#1243 of 2009 nationally
32 MW Natural Gas Steam Turbine (28 MW) + Petroleum Liquids (4 MW) standby in Orange, NC — Duke Energy Carolinas
EIAWD
32 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Hybrid (2)
Technology
Natural Gas Steam Turbine + Petroleum Liquids
1991
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
35.9066, -79.0619
County
Orange, NC
Nearby Plants
- Farrington FarmSolar1 MW · 8.7 km
- VickersSolar2 MW · 9.4 km
- White Cross FarmSolar5 MW · 11.5 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | University of North Carolina | — | — |
| Owner(s) | University of North Carolina | — | — |
| Status | Standby | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Cogen Facility is a 32 MW hybrid power plant located in Orange County, North Carolina. The plant, which began operating in 1991, is owned and operated by the University of North Carolina. It utilizes both natural gas steam turbines and petroleum liquids (DFO) as fuel sources. The facility consists of three generators and operates within the Duke Energy Carolinas balancing authority, under the SERC NERC region.
In the most recent year of reported data, the plant generated 54,232 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 19.4%. The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Cogen Facility holds a notable position within the state, ranking as the 3rd largest out of 45 power plants in North Carolina. Nationally, it is ranked 135 out of 886 plants. Recent news coverage related to the plant has focused on grid-related issues, regulatory matters, and industry trends.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
SERC
Balancing Authority
Duke Energy Carolinas
Grid Voltage
12.47 kV
Regulatory Status
NR
Entity Type
State
Sector
Commercial CHP
Generation
5.2K MWh
Latest Month
54.2K MWh
Annual Generation
19.4%
Capacity Factor
Dec 2022 – Dec 2025
Financial Data
No financial data available for this plant.
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
General
Students, residents protest UNC coal plant
Students and Chapel Hill residents marched Monday to demand UNC stop burning coal, citing health risks, environmental injustice, and broken climate promises.
WRAL·11 months ago
Regulatory·permitting
UNC Pulls Request to Test New Fuel at Cogeneration Plant, Saying Pellets Fall Short of Requirements
UNC announced it withdrew its request for a permit modification to use plastic and packaging pellets as fuel for its cogeneration facility.
UNC (operator)
Chapelboro.com·1 years ago
General
UNC-Chapel Hill Drops Request to Burn Pellets at Power Plant
The university had proposed burning paper and plastic pellets at its power plant as a way to shift from coal and reduce greenhouse gas...
INDY Week·1 years ago
Industry·other
Sunrise UNC holds press conference on cogeneration facility’s climate impact
Student climate activist group Sunrise UNC shared research around the University's coal-burning cogeneration facility in a recent press...
Sunrise UNC (other)
Daily Tar Heel·1 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles