Duke Energy Indiana renews commitment to clean energy with upgrades at Markland Hydro Station

PLAINFIELD, Ind., March 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy customers in Indiana will continue to reap the benefits of low-cost, carbon-free electric generation for many more years with the planned modernization and upgrade at the Markland Hydro Station near Florence, Ind., along the Ohio River.

The company has requested permission from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to modernize, replace and upgrade the three hydroelectric turbines, generators and related equipment which have been in service for nearly 50 years.

"The generating units at Markland Hydro have served our customers well with clean, renewable energy since 1967," said Melody Birmingham-Byrd, president of Duke Energy Indiana. "As we move toward increasingly cleaner energy, these modernized generation units will harness more of the renewable resources of the Ohio River for many years to come."

Work on the project could begin around mid-2016 and conclude by mid-2020.

Duke Energy Indiana's operations provide about 7,500 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 810,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it the state's largest electric supplier.

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.4 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 24 million people. Its Commercial Portfolio and International business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. 

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SOURCE Duke Energy