During their meeting Tuesday night, Anderson County Council approved major economic and infrastructure incentives realated to Duke Energy’s intentions to upgrade the Lee Steam Station near Williamston. The company is considering plans to build and run a natural-gas-fired plant at the site which will include a $600 million investment.

Anderson Council officials are still calling the project by the code name “Project Mystery Green,” though published reports have identified it as the Lee Steam Station project.

If the company proceeds, the new plant would take up to 18 months to build and add an estimated 500 construction jobs. The plant will employ 25 people making an average of $30 per hour a Duke Energy spokesperson said.

According to reports, the company has not made the final decision on whether to build the new natural gas plant but could make a final decision this spring. Duke Energy has stated plans to retire two of its coal-burning generators at Lee Steam by 2105 and convert a third one to natural gas.

By Stan Welch

Anderson County Council unanimously passed an inducement resolution identifying a power generating project of a company identified only as Project Mystery Green Tuesday night. Since there are only so many power generating companies in the area, and only one that District Six Councilman Ken Waters works for, his request to recuse himself from the discussion and vote narrowed it down to one. That would be Duke Energy. (See related story)

The resolution expresses the Council’s intent to offer certain tax and infrastructure incentives at the appropriate time. Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson told the Council that the existing site, i.e. the Lee Steam Plant, currently generates $2.64 million in annual ad valorem taxes. That amount will increase to $4.1 million in the first year of expanded operations. In addition, inclusion of the property in a multi-county industrial park will generate an additional $1.8 million, bringing the annual amount to $5.69 million.