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Piedmont Natural Gas LNG Facility Rezoning

Context

Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy request to rezone 1,600+ acres from rural agricultural to conditional heavy industrial for an LNG facility (three above-ground tanks, 4.4 BCF, over $2 billion, about $4 million a year in tax, 40 to 55 jobs, horizontal drill under the Yadkin, Williams Transco easement, construction mid-2028, operation around 2031). Duke also proposes combined-cycle units CC4 and CC5 (1,365 MW each); Energy United would serve load (peak about 800 MW).

Planning Board packet (October 20): application REZ-26-23 dated 9/18/2026, Piedmont Natural Gas Company (signed by Vice President Neil Moser) with owner Duke Energy Carolinas, for 1,616.51 acres at 3714 Giles Road, Tyro Township (Tax Map 6 Lot 1, PIN 5776-04-82-6694), RA-1 and RA-2 to CZ-HI. Per the Planning Director's written interpretation of September 16, the Energy Reliability Center is permitted by right and the LNG storage facility needs a Class B special use permit in CZ-HI. Development would cover about 500 acres, with three LNG tanks up to 200 feet tall and 300 feet across, a 200-foot perimeter buffer, tanks set back 175 feet, a 24 percent built-upon cap under the watershed ordinance and access from Giles Road and Callahan Hill Road; the facility would serve proposed 1,360-MW plants CC4 and CC5 in Davie County. PNG asks for a five-year vested right under G.S. 160D-108.1 and estimates 45 to 55 employees averaging $135,000 and over $4 million a year in county property tax. The narrative gives the tract as 1,616 acres in one place and 1,661 in another.

Status

Public hearing set for November 9. Open houses planned for January. Residents asked for a larger venue and a postponement.

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