HAMLET — U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson toured Duke Energy’s Sherwood H. Smith Jr. Energy Complex Wednesday morning for an up-close and personal view of what it takes to produce efficient energy for North Carolina.
Donning a hard hat and protective goggles along with ear protection against the noise of the plant’s turbines, employees drove a tour group around the entire facility explaining how the natural gas, coal and fuel oil are converted into the energy that moves the modern world.
Swati Daji of the Charlotte office, a specialist in fuel and fuel-related procurement, said there are several materials that go into the operation of a plant of this size.
“We buy natural gas, ammonia and reagents as well as coal and fuel oil,” she said. “Our main priority to to keep the cost of energy low in the Carolinas.”
Hudson, a Concord Republican who represents North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District, said the plant is doing its job well.
“If you look at all the different business units of Duke Energy, this facility is one of the most efficient and cheapest per unit in producing energy,” he said. “That’s a really good story for us. It shows we’re important to Duke, and we’re key to providing reliable energy to consumers.”
Daji said Duke Energy is one of the largest users of natural gas for energy, producing large amounts and keeping the cost to consumers low.
“We have 200 billion cubic feet in North Carolina alone in a year,” she said. “And of that, the Hamlet plant uses 25 percent of what all of the other plants in North and South Carolina use.”
Carl Haas said the control center is typically manned by two people, and another two who leave the center periodically to walk around the plant to make certain things are running smoothly.
“On a timed interval, they will walk and make rounds,” Haas said. “Because in here, the technology part of the control center does give important information, but it’s also important for human beings to be out there using their senses — ears, eyesight and sense of smell. They can tell if something is about to go wrong before it does, then they report back to the technology people who troubleshoot any issues.”
Haas said working in this type of environment requires a group of people who are equally observant of all safety procedures at all times.
“Our main priority is safety,” Haas said. “We make sure the facility is safe every day. And we’ve got some college kids from RCC who come out and work with us, who are specializing in learning to do a lot of the jobs we need to make this energy. We get some great students from there.”
Eric Grant, also based in Charlotte, said a prediction is made on a daily basis as to how much energy the plant will need to generate.
“Factors such as weather have a lot to do with it,” Grant said. “We have meteorologists we consult with. So, we make a prediction and then adjust output throughout the day.”
That makes sense, because on very hot or very cold days, consumers tend to use more energy.
“This is one of the most modern of Duke Energy’s plants,” Hudson said. “Using steam capture, dual generation is a very efficient way of producing energy.”
Asked whether he preferred certain forms of energy production over others, the congressman said he is for all of them. As a leader on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Hudson is working to create jobs and lower energy costs by maximizing energy potential.
Through his position on the influential committee, Hudson said he is giving North Carolina and the 8th District a voice and a seat at the table for this discussion.
“But I want market forces to drive it, and I want to see us use American forms of energy,” he said. “The United States has more coal than any other country in the world. With the new technologies, we have as much oil production as any country in the world. We ought to be using those sources. If government plays a role, it ought to be in developing new technologies to help us use those sources more efficiently.”
After the morning visit in Hamlet, Hudson toured Biscoe’s O2 Energies solar farm on Wednesday afternoon.
Reach reporter Melonie McLaurin at 910-817-2673 and follow her on Twitter @meloniemclaurin.