Though it was allegedly debunked by another newspaper, the Wall Street Journal recently raised interesting questions about Duke Energy's long-range plans for nuclear energy.

According to published reports, the Wall Street Journal said Duke could be joining in South Carolina Electric & Gas Company's nuclear expansion project in Jenkinsville, where SCE&G and Santee Cooper plan to add two new nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station. The State newspaper in Columbia, however, subse- quently quoted an SCE&G spokesman as saying Duke was not involved and that SCE&G was not looking for other partners.

While that may be true for SCE&G, Duke officials concede the company is shopping around for partners on the proposed William States Lee III nuclear facility in Cherokee County.

"We have said that we are looking for partnership opportunities," Duke spokeswoman Rita Sipe said. "We're really not ruling any opportunities out now."

Duke had originally partnered with Southern Company in plans to build the proposed nuclear facility near McKowns Mountain but Southern Company pulled out of the project and Duke currently is going it alone.

Given the size, scope and great costs of such nuclear projects, partnerships are not uncommon. While it serves as the operator, for instance, Duke is one of several partners in the Catawba Nuclear Station on Lake Wylie.

While its unclear if or when Duke will line up a new partner for the Cherokee County facility, Sipe confirmed that Duke is committed to the lengthy and ongoing federal approval process for a local plant.

"We are moving forward with the licensing work," she said. "We've said all along we're keeping this as an option for our customers in the future."

Sipe said the company annually reviews its power generation capabilities, plants and existing and future demand. "In addition to evaluating the needs of our customers and the effects of potential carbon legislation on operating coal plants, another factor we consider is the need to modernize the existing generating fleet of power plants," she said.

Sipe said there isn't much work actually taking place at the McKowns Mountain site right now, as most of the work is centered on testing and site visits by regulators as the approval process unfolds. Duke is actively working on property issues, though, such as obtaining future rail access to the site and getting rights for the location of power transmission lines.