Duke Energy has ceremonially broken ground on its new project that will modernize and expand power generation at the existing Cayuga power plant in Vermillion County, Indiana.
[The following is a news release from Duke Energy:]
About the project
Duke Energy is building two highly efficient, combined cycle natural gas turbines at the site of the Cayuga Generating Station.
- The new natural gas facilities, which will be called the Cayuga Energy Complex, will increase generating capacity at Cayuga by 470 megawatts to a total of 1,476 megawatts – that’s enough to power 1.1 million homes in the company’s Indiana service area.
- The plant will use combined cycle technology, which will capture waste heat normally lost from a natural gas turbine and use it to power a steam turbine so it can extract more energy from the same fuel source.
Why it matters
- The Cayuga Generating Station is the oldest coal-fired power plant on Duke Energy’s Indiana system, with nearly six decades of service.
- Since Duke Energy placed its last major Indiana power plant in service in 2013, the company has added more than 135,000 new customers. This includes residential customers, as well as large power users such as manufacturers and industrial companies.
- Indiana has been growing, too; in 2025, the state’s population growth outpaced all neighboring states and the national average, and its GDP grew faster than the national average, as well.
- More than 3,700 total jobs will be supported by this project, which includes construction, suppliers, and other industries.
What’s next for the site?
- Construction crews have already begun grading the site and installing underground piping.
- The first new unit is expected to come online in 2029, and the other in 2030.
- Through a settlement with Reliable Energy, Inc., Duke Energy is studying the feasibility of selling the existing Cayuga coal units to a third party.
Investing in the community
Duke Energy has a long history of supporting nonprofits and other organizations in Vermillion County. Today, a total of $75,000 in shareholder-funded Duke Energy Foundation and corporate grants were announced for the community. The Vermillion County Community Foundation will distribute shareholder-funded grants for following local projects:
- Tools for the Black Diamond Fire Department
- Medical evacuation equipment for the Helt Fire Department
- An extrication saw and a heavy-duty coat for the Cayuga Fire Department
- Renovating the historic steps in Hillsdale
- A reading boot camp in Clinton
- Installation of pickleball/basketball courts in the Eugene community park
- Support for the Parke-Vermillion County Humane Society
- New temperature-controlling curtains in the Community Recreation Center in Clinton
- A wheelchair accessible ramp for the St. Bernice American Legion Post 108
- A new radio for the Vermillion County Sheriff’s Reserve Deputies.
- Support for the daycare at the Valley Child Development Center
- A historical marker under development by the Vermillion County Heritage Alliance, which will be placed outside the Cayuga Energy Complex
In addition, seven fire departments are receiving shareholder-funded grants directly from the Duke Energy Foundation. And the Vermillion County 4-H program is the beneficiary of corporate funding.
What they’re saying
“The Cayuga Energy Complex will add needed new power generation to the Indiana grid through energy-efficient natural gas facilities, but there’s also a careful evaluation underway of a sale of the existing coal units. As a state, we are growing, and so is our energy demand. We need to look at all options for a reliable, affordable energy future.”
– Indiana Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Suzie Jaworowski
“From the day we began generating power at Cayuga nearly 60 years ago, Vermillion County has welcomed our growing facilities and our employees. Today, as we begin to add new generation nearby, we’re taking a major step forward to help ensure reliable, efficient power for years to come. Construction of these plants would not be possible without the cooperative partnership we have with Vermillion County.”
– Duke Energy Indiana President Stan Pinegar
“This project reinforces Vermillion County’s strategic importance in our state’s energy future. From an economic perspective, it means hundreds of construction jobs and long-term benefits for our schools and our local economy. In addition to the new natural gas plant, the company also announced today support for a number of local initiatives ranging from our fire departments to our local Humane Society. This is what it truly means to be a community partner.”
– Vermillion County Board of Commissioners President RJ Dunavan
“I have lived in this community for more than 60 years and have worked at the Cayuga plant. I know its importance not only to this community but also as a major power source for the state. Duke Energy is ensuring the plant’s future by expanding and modernizing the site.”
– Indiana State Rep. Tim Yocum
“If our state is going to have the reliable and affordable power we need to prosper, Indiana will need more power generation. The Cayuga Energy Complex will ensure that Vermillion County continues to play an important role in meeting our state’s energy needs into the future. That’s good news for Hoosiers, but it’s also good news for Vermillion County and the surrounding rural communities, which stand to benefit from the jobs, community partnerships, and economic activity these communities need.”
– Indiana State Sen. Spencer Deery
Duke Energy Indiana
Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 930,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.
