Coal

Duke Energy Indiana could burn coal through 2038, per latest resource proposal

One of the largest coal plants in the country could be converted to enable co-firing with natural gas.
Duke Energy Indiana could burn coal through 2038, per latest resource proposal
(Gibson Station. Source: Duke Energy.)

Duke Energy has proposed co-firing coal and natural gas at its Gibson plant in Indiana through 2038, according to an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) proposal shared this week.

The five-unit, 2,845 MW Gibson station is one of the largest coal-fired plants in the U.S. Duke Energy owns Units 1-4, while Wabash Valley Power Association and Indiana Municipal Power Agency co-own Unit 5.

According to the IRP, Gibson Units 1 and 2 would be converted to enable co-firing natural gas with coal, allowing them to continue to operate through 2038. The plant was previously expected to retire three years earlier.

Under the plan, Duke Energy would retire Gibson Units 3 and 4, replacing them with a 2×1 NGCC plant by 2032. Gibson 5 is listed as being retired by 2030.

Duke would also retire Cayuga coal-fired units 1 and 2 by 2030 and 2031, respectively. Two 1×1 natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) units would are added at the site, replacing the retiring coal and adding 440 MW of incremental capacity by 2031.

Finally, Edwardsport would be converted to operate on 100% natural gas by 2030. Renewables and energy storage would also be added in the late 2020s, according to the plan.

The IRP proposal caps off a series of stakeholder meetings held in 2024. The proposal is expected to be submitted to state regulators by November 1 and would then follow the usual approval process.

Tags