Duke Power ‘s Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County North Carolina is set for a $500 million upgrade to cut SOx emissions from the coal-fired site

When the two wet scrubbers come on line in 2008 they will cut as much as 90% of sulphur emissions and will also reduce the output of mercury.

The moves come in response to the state 2002 Clean Smokestacks Act, which requires power companies to reduce their sulphur dioxide emissions across the state by about 70% by 2013.

The Belews Creek scrubbers will be among the largest in the USA and their construction is expected to last three years by project contractors, Alstom and The Shaw Group.

The latest project follows the 2004 completion of the installation of two selective catalytic reducers which cost about $450 million.