Duke Energy may lower Lake Norman water level

NORTH CAROLINA - A new system planned for a March installation at the McGuire nuclear power plant could drop Lake Norman's water level even lower than where it sits now.

Through its system of dams, Duke Energy has kept Lake Norman, which supplies cooling water to the plant, at around 7 feet below full pond since September - the lowest it can get for McGuire's backup safety systems to work. With a drought sapping water resources along the Catawba River's chain of lakes and the new McGuire system, Duke could lower Norman's water level to provide water for municipalities and other lakes.

The new system will allow the plant to operate at 10 feet below full pond, which would make an extra 29 billion gallons of water available. "That is possible," Duke spokeswoman Rita Sipe said about a Lake Norman water level depletion.

"We don't know what the future holds. We hope it holds a lot of rain."

While the lake typically fills to near full pond in the summer, it began declining in late July and hovered at Duke's mandated 7-foot line in September. It's usually around 2 feet below full pond during that time of year. Lake Norman's level might have further fallen in the past few months if Duke hadn't purposely kept it high enough for McGuire.

Numerous boating hazards, such as previously unseen shoals and sunken trees, have already become exposed by the low water. Many boats at private docks also remain beached because of a lack of water, leading some to pay dredging companies to deepen their area.

Mac Byrum, a Lake Norman Marine commissioner and fishing guide, said the drop would closely resemble what Duke does every few years when it drops the lake to around 8 feet below full pond in the winter to do repairs.

"Really, you're only talking about 1 foot more (than what Duke occasionally does)," Byrum said. "It would leave some lake dwellers not able to get out. It could cause some hazards to the boating public."

Related News

Japan opens part of last town off-limits since nuclear leaks

TOKYO - Japan's government on Wednesday opened part of the last town that had been off-limits due to radiation since the Fukushima nuclear disaster nine years ago, in a symbolic move to show the region's recovery ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

The entire population of 7,000 was forced to evacuate Futaba after three reactors melted down due to damage at the town's nuclear plant caused by a magnitude 9. 0 quake and tsunami March 11, 2011.

The partial lifting of the entry ban comes weeks before the Olympic torch starts from another town in Fukushima. The torch could also arrive in Futaba,…

READ MORE
tokyo electricity

Analysis: Out in the cold: how Japan's electricity grid came close to blackouts

READ MORE

wind turbines

Portsmouth residents voice concerns over noise, flicker generated by turbine

READ MORE

wind power jobs

Leading Offshore Wind Conference to Launch National Job Fair

READ MORE

UK electricity and gas networks making ‘unjustified’ profits

READ MORE