2491.2 MW Natural Gas operating in Stokes, NC — Duke Energy Carolinas
2,491.2 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Natural Gas Steam Turbine
Technology
1974
Operating Since
Coordinates
36.2811, -80.0603
County
Stokes, NC
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Duke Energy Carolinas | — |
| Owner(s) | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Duke Energy | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Belews Creek Steam Station is a 2.24-GW, two-unit coal-fired generating facility located on Belews Lake in Stokes County, North Carolina. It is Duke Energy’s largest coal-burning power plant in the Carolinas and consistently ranks among the most efficient coal facilities in the United States. During 2006, it was the fifth most efficient coal power plant in the United States with a heat rate of 9,023 Btu/kWh. The remaining 62.2% of energy released by the burning coal is in the form of heat. It is dumped into Belews Lake, a man-made lake created by Duke Power for cooling water purposes in the early 1970s. In 2008, it was the #1 most efficient coal power plant in the United States with a heat rate of 9,204 British thermal units per kilowatt-hour (2.697 kWh/kWh) or 37.1% conversion efficiency. In 2018 a complete redesign of the back-pass on Unit-1 significantly boosted this efficiency, ranking it the 2nd most efficient coal-fired power plant in the world.
Read more on WikipediaBelews Creek is a 2491.2 MW natural gas power plant located in Stokes County, North Carolina. The plant, which began operating in 1974, is owned and operated by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a subsidiary of Duke Energy. It utilizes natural gas steam turbine technology and consists of two generators. Belews Creek is the largest natural gas plant in North Carolina (ranked 1 of 16) and the 13th largest in the United States (ranked 13 of 945). The plant operates within the Duke Energy Carolinas balancing authority and the SERC NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Belews Creek generated 7,727,877 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 35.5%. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $906.31 per kW. The plant has a power purchase agreement (PPA) price of $25 per MWh. Financial data is sourced from FERC and FERC EQRs. The plant has been the subject of 10 news articles, with 8 focusing on regulatory matters and 2 on industry topics.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
NERC Region
SERC
Balancing Authority
Duke Energy Carolinas
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
888.1K MWh
Latest Month
7.7M MWh
Annual Generation
35.5%
Capacity Factor
$25.0/MWh
PPA Price
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
Contract Seller
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
Duke Energy Progress, LLC, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Duke Energy Progress, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Duke Energy Progress, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Duke Energy Progress, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC; Notice of Application of Transfer of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Last updated 2026-03-25
View all 10 articles