Duke Energy's expansion of its coal plant Cliffside, which straddles Rutherford and Cleveland Counties in Western North Carolina, has long been a focal point for opponents of coal power plants by mans of protests (here in April 2009) and lawsuits. In December 2010 NC Administrative Law Judge Randall Mays rules that the environmental groups deserve a full hearing on whether the $1.8 billion 825-megawatt coal-fuled unit will be a mionor source of pollution. As of December 2010 the unit was about 80-% complete and is scheduled to begin producing power in 2012.