Duke Energynew lake will cover 620 acres

Duke Energy plans to build a 620-acre lake on its proposed nuclear plant site here.

But hold off on buying that dream boat you’ve been eyeing.

Spokesperson Rita Sipe said Duke will use the lake for industrial purposes as a backup cooling source in the case of a prolonged drought. She said Duke has no plans to open the lake for recreational activities.

There are two existing ponds on the site that were created during Duke’s first attempt to build a nuclear plant on the site. The 60- acre one is a settling pond, while the other pond is approximately 170 acres and is a supplemental water source, Sipe said.

The 99 Island reservoir will serve as the primary water source for William States Lee III nuclear power plant, according to Sipe.

Duke Energy is continuing its licensing procedures and company officials have said they will wait until 2010 before making a final decision on the project. Earlier this month, The Ledger reported the company’s annual planning report, known as the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), suggested the optimal startup date for the nuclear plant is between 2018-2021. That’s a departure from the company’s 2008 planning report that stated the project would be online by 2018.