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Duke Energy Set To Start On New Crystal River Plant

A rendering shows how Duke Energy's planned natural-gas plant will look. (Image courtesy of Duke Energy)
A rendering shows how Duke Energy's planned natural-gas plant will look. (Image courtesy of Duke Energy)

Duke Energy is scheduled to host an invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony on March 2 for its new 1,640-megawatt natural gas plant in Citrus County.

The plant will replace two 1960s-era coal-fired plants and will start putting out energy to customers in 2018.

"Building highly efficient natural gas plants is part of Duke Energy's balanced approach to meeting future demand for reliable and increasingly clean electricity," Alex Glenn, Duke Energy Florida's state president, said in a news release.

Construction on the plant is projected to provide more than $600 million to the local economy and 600 to 700 temporary construction jobs, the release said.

The plant site is at 15760 W. Power Line St. in Crystal River.

Paola is a reporter for WUFT News who may be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org