CAPE FEAR
Retired 2013Coal power plant
- Capacity
- 84 MW
- Primary fuel
- Coal
- County
- Chatham County
- Operator
- PROGRESS ENERGY CAROLINAS INC
- EIA plant ID
- 2708
- Coordinates
- 35.5938, -79.0501
CAPE FEAR, a retired 84 MW Coal power plant in Chatham County, North Carolina. It was retired in 2013, according to EIA-860.
How CAPE FEAR compares
It was retired in 2013 according to EIA-860, so it is not counted in North Carolina's operating fleet. Its operator, PROGRESS ENERGY CAROLINAS INC, runs 13 operating plants in North Carolina totaling 11,962 MW. It shares Chatham County with 2 other operating plants, JORDAN HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT and CHAPEL HILL FARM.
Grid neighborhood
The closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 115 kV line, under 0.1 miles away. Another 5 operating power plants totaling 990 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is HARRIS (951 MW, Nuclear).
Computed by Bywatts from HIFLD power plant and transmission line records and EIA-860 retirement records; distances are straight-line. Sources and methodology
Weather peril exposure
CAPE FEAR is a retired 84 MW coal power plant in Chatham County, NC, formerly operated by PROGRESS ENERGY CAROLINAS INC. Chatham County carries elevated modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 2.7 of 5 at the 42nd national percentile. Hurricane is the leading peril, rated Relatively Moderate by FEMA at the 80th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a coal plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Chatham County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 80th | 4.2 of 5 | 0.14 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Moderate | 64th | 3.6 of 5 | 1.8 |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62nd | 3.5 of 5 | 49.9 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Moderate | 55th | 3.2 of 5 | 1.0 |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 50th | 3.0 of 5 | 4.4 |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 45th | 2.8 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 43rd | 2.7 of 5 | 0.30 |
| Winter weather | Relatively Low | 34th | 2.4 of 5 | 6.6 |
| Heat wave | Relatively Low | 32nd | 2.3 of 5 | 5.7 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 27th | 2.1 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Strong wind | Relatively Low | 23rd | 1.9 of 5 | 1.2 |
Perils not assessed in Chatham County
These perils carry no usable National Risk Index figure for this county, so they are excluded from the scoring rather than scored zero. A zero would claim the peril was assessed and found benign.
| Peril | Why it is not scored |
|---|---|
| Coastal flooding | FEMA rating is "Not Applicable" for this county |
Model hail, wind and flood exposure for Chatham County in the weather risk calculator
Ratings are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings; the peril score is a Bywatts transform of the FEMA national percentile. Full data sources and the solar vulnerability methodology are in the weather risk calculator.
Modeled estimate for screening and negotiation. Built from FEMA National Risk Index county hazard data and a solar vulnerability layer documented above. Not a quote, a binder, or actuarial advice, and not a substitute for a carrier's own model. Hazard data: FEMA National Risk Index December 2025, synced 2026-07-24. Resolution is county level, not site level.