The Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Butler-Warner Generation Plant (BWGP), recognizing five decades of reliable electric generation, innovation and service to Fayetteville and Cumberland County. 

The Butler-Warner Generation Plant represents an important part of PWC's history and its commitment to long-term planning and reliable electric service. PWC is the only municipal utility in North Carolina that owns and operates its own electric generation plant, a distinction that reflects decades of investment and leadership in public power. 

Construction of BWGP began in the mid-1970s, with the first two generating units entering service in 1976. By 1980, eight gas turbine units were capable of producing 200 megawatts of electricity. 

In 1988, six of the generating units were converted to a combined-cycle steam system through the addition of three Heat Recovery Steam Generators, a steam turbine and other supporting systems. The improvements increased the plant's generating capacity to 265 megawatts while significantly improving efficiency. 

The plant was officially dedicated in 1989 as the Butler-Warner Generation Plant, honoring former Commission Chairmen Robert H. Butler and James R. Warner for their visionary leadership. 

Originally developed to help protect customers from rising peak power costs, BWGP continues to play an important role in supporting PWC's electric system and helping manage wholesale power costs. Today, the plant operates in partnership with Duke Energy Progress, generating additional revenue that helps offset power supply costs and provides value to PWC customers. 

“Fifty years of operation is an extraordinary milestone, but what makes Butler-Warner special is how the plant has continued to evolve with the needs of the community and the electric industry,” said Timothy Bryant, P.E., CEO/general manager of Fayetteville PWC, in a press release. “From its original role supporting reliability and managing power costs to today’s investments in solar energy and battery storage, Butler-Warner represents PWC’s commitment to innovation, sound planning and delivering value to customers.” 

The evolution of BWGP has continued with the addition of renewable energy and battery energy storage technologies. In 2019, PWC established North Carolina’s first municipal Community Solar and Battery Storage Project adjacent to the plant. The project now includes 2 megawatts of battery storage, helping support lower peak demand costs while expanding PWC's renewable energy resources. Additional solar generation capacity at the site further demonstrates PWC’s commitment to sustainability and preparing for the future of the electric utility industry. 

BWGP remains an important component of PWC’s electric system, which serves more than 86,000 electric customers throughout Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Over the past five decades, PWC has continued investing in modern substations, advanced technology, automation, renewable energy and other system reliability improvements to meet the community’s growing energy needs. 

The plant has also earned national recognition, including being named to the “Plants to See” list by the World Energy Conference and the American Public Power Association. 

“As we celebrate 50 years of Butler-Warner, we also celebrate the people whose expertise and dedication have kept this facility and our electric system moving forward,” Bryant said in a press release. “Its legacy reminds us of the importance of planning for the future, and we will continue building on that legacy to provide safe, reliable and affordable electric service for generations to come.”