Community meeting set on proposed gas plants and pipeline in Davidson County

Residents and advocates are scheduled to gather in Lexington, North Carolina, on May 28 for a community meeting about proposed Duke Energy gas plants and the Williams Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement pipeline project affecting Davidson County.

The meeting was announced by Appalachian Voices on May 18. The group said the event will focus on the gas buildout under consideration in central North Carolina and on the pipeline project that would run through parts of the county.

Williams' project page says the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project includes about 28.4 miles of looping in North Carolina counties, including Davidson, along with compressor-related work in the county. NC DEQ and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission both list the project as an active proposed pipeline effort.

The proposed gas generation has also drawn attention before the meeting. WUNC reported in January that Duke Energy was considering a Davidson County site for a new combined-cycle plant, while Duke said at the time that no final decision had been made.

The May 28 gathering is the next public marker in a broader local debate over new fossil-fuel infrastructure, with questions still open about the exact plant site and the pace of permitting.