Natural Gas Power Plants in North Carolina
Every operating natural gas power plant in North Carolina on EIA-860M for 2026-07: 21 plants, 107 generating units and 18 GW of nameplate capacity across 14 counties.
As of 2026-07 (inventory dated 2026-07-31) · EIA-860M Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory · eia.gov/…/july_generator2026.xlsx · eia.gov/…/eia860m
- Plants
- 21
- 107 generating units
- Nameplate capacity
- 18 GW
- Counties
- 14
- Grid operator
- Mixed
- no single ISO covers a majority
Map of natural gas power plants in North Carolina
Every one of the 21 plants is drawn at the coordinate EIA files for it.
Loading map…
- Natural gas · 21
List of natural gas power plants in North Carolina
Sort by any column. Capacity is nameplate, summed across every generating unit EIA lists at the site.
| Belews CreekNatural Gas Steam Turbine | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Stokes | 2,491.2 | 2 | 1974 | Operating |
| Sherwood H Smith Jr Energy Complex2 technologies | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Richmond | 2,244.8 | 11 | 2001 | Operating |
| Lincoln CombustionNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Lincoln | 2,155.6 | 17 | 1995 | Operating |
| James E. Rogers Energy ComplexNatural Gas Steam Turbine | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Cleveland | 1,530.5 | 2 | 1972 | Operating |
| Rowan2 technologies | Southern Power Co | Rowan | 1,192 | 6 | 2001 | Operating |
| Lee Combined Cycle PlantNatural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Wayne | 1,068 | 4 | 2012 | Operating |
| Asheville2 technologies | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Buncombe | 1,011.5 | 6 | 1999 | Operating |
| Wayne County Energy ComplexNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Wayne | 979.7 | 5 | 2000 | Operating |
| Rockingham County CT StationNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Rockingham | 977.5 | 5 | 2000 | Standby/Backup |
| L V Sutton Combined Cycle2 technologies | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | New Hanover | 851 | 5 | 2013 | Operating |
| Cleveland Cnty Generating FacilityNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Southern Power Co | Cleveland | 736 | 4 | 2012 | Operating |
| BuckNatural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Rowan | 697.9 | 3 | 2011 | Operating |
| Dan RiverNatural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Rockingham | 697.9 | 3 | 2012 | Operating |
| Kings Mountain Energy CenterNatural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | Carolina Power Partners, LLC | Cleveland | 543.9 | 2 | 2018 | Operating |
| Anson County Generation FacilityNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | North Carolina El Member Corp | Anson | 343.8 | 6 | 2007 | Operating |
| Hamlet Generating FacilityNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | North Carolina El Member Corp | Richmond | 343.8 | 6 | 2007 | Operating |
| Butler-Warner Generation Plant4 technologies | Fayetteville Public Works Commission | Cumberland | 304.9 | 11 | 1976 | Operating |
| Archer Daniels Midland SouthportNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Archer Daniels Midland Co | Brunswick | 52.5 | 3 | 1992 | Standby/Backup |
| Monroe Generating StationNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | North Carolina Mun Power Agny #1 | Union | 30 | 2 | 2010 | Operating |
| NCSU Cates Cogeneration PlantNatural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | NC State University, Energy Systems | Wake | 11.2 | 2 | 2012 | Operating |
| NCSU CCUP Cogeneration Plant2 technologies | NC State University, Energy Systems | Wake | 6.6 | 2 | 2019 | Operating |
Largest natural gas power plants in North Carolina
- 1Belews CreekStokes County, North Carolina2,491.2 MW
- 2Sherwood H Smith Jr Energy ComplexRichmond County, North Carolina2,244.8 MW
- 3Lincoln CombustionLincoln County, North Carolina2,155.6 MW
- 4James E. Rogers Energy ComplexCleveland County, North Carolina1,530.5 MW
- 5RowanRowan County, North Carolina1,192 MW
- 6Lee Combined Cycle PlantWayne County, North Carolina1,068 MW
- 7AshevilleBuncombe County, North Carolina1,011.5 MW
- 8Wayne County Energy ComplexWayne County, North Carolina979.7 MW
- 9Rockingham County CT StationRockingham County, North Carolina977.5 MW
- 10L V Sutton Combined CycleNew Hanover County, North Carolina851 MW
Natural gas power plants by county in North Carolina
The county EIA files against each plant. It is the fastest way to find the plant nearest a given town.
| County | Plants | Nameplate MW |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | 3 | 2,810.4 |
| Richmond | 2 | 2,588.6 |
| Stokes | 1 | 2,491.2 |
| Lincoln | 1 | 2,155.6 |
| Wayne | 2 | 2,047.7 |
| Rowan | 2 | 1,889.9 |
| Rockingham | 2 | 1,675.4 |
| Buncombe | 1 | 1,011.5 |
| New Hanover | 1 | 851 |
| Anson | 1 | 343.8 |
| Cumberland | 1 | 304.9 |
| Brunswick | 1 | 52.5 |
| Union | 1 | 30 |
| Wake | 2 | 17.8 |
Natural Gas Power Plants in North Carolina: FAQ
- How many natural gas power plants are in North Carolina?
- 21, with 18 GW of nameplate capacity between them, spread over 14 counties. That is the EIA-860M operating count for 2026-07.
- Is there a map of North Carolina natural gas power plants?
- Yes — the map above. Each dot is one natural gas power plant, sized by nameplate capacity and placed at the coordinates EIA files for it.
- Which is the largest natural gas power plant in North Carolina?
- Belews Creek, at 2 GW. The table is sorted largest first, so the rest follow it.
- Is there a natural gas power plant near me in North Carolina?
- The county roll-up below groups every plant by county, which is the quickest way to find the one closest to a given town.
- Which grid operator runs North Carolina's natural gas power plants?
- No single ISO or RTO covers most of them. EIA files each plant against its own balancing authority, which in North Carolina is largely a vertically integrated utility rather than an organised market.
- How current is this, and what is left out?
- EIA-860M for 2026-07. Combined cycle, combustion turbine, steam turbine, internal combustion and other gas-fired units. Plants below 1 MW are not surveyed by EIA and so are absent; retirements and additions after 2026-07 arrive with the next monthly release.