Alcoa has earned almost $200 million in electricity sales from their dams on the Yadkin River. The dams that once powered an aluminum industry now provide income for the manufacturing company.
Alcoa reported to federal regulators this week that the Yadkin River dams generated 517,919 megawatt hours of electricity in the year ending in September, down about 40 percent from the previous year due to very dry conditions.
That would have generated revenues of about $15.3 million over the 12-month period, based on wholesale price data provided by energy information company Platts.
Those electricity sales might be more valuable depending on how much was sold during peak Monday-through-Friday hours.
The dams powered an aluminum smelter for generations before Alcoa closed it in 2007. The company has sold more than $190 million in electricity to commercial customers instead.
The Associated Press contributed to this story