June 5 update – Big news for North Carolinians who hate fossil fuels: more than 1000 people have signed our petition to Duke opposing the two new fossil fuel power plants in Person and Catawba counties. But the first hearings are tonight and we’re still looking for help filing official intervenor comments and delivering all the signatures.
If you’re a Duke Energy Customer here’s how you can help
If you’re a customer of Duke Energy CAROLINAS (DEC), please try and attend the hearing tonight at the Catawba County Courthouse (details below) and get in touch if you’d be willing to file formal comments on docket E-7 Sub 1297
If you’re a customer of Duke Energy PROGRESS (DEP), come to the in-person hearing in Person county next week, and/or the training session tonight June 5 (the virtual session is full now, we’re told) and get in touch if you’d be willing to file formal comments on dockets E-2 Sub 1318 & EC-67 Sub 55
You can also use these talking points & comment guides from friends at Appalachian voices, 7 directions of Service, and other local partners:
May 30 update – You’ve probably heard the story lately that renewable energy is booming — with more solar and wind farms being built and installed than fossil fuel power plants in many places — But not in North Carolina.
Every year since the Paris climate agreement was signed, North Carolina has installed somewhere between 500 and 1000 megawatts of solar power each year. Some years more, some years less, and the trend has actually been going down in recent years. But we were hopeful that things would pick up again now that the Inflation Reduction Act is providing generous subsidies and North Carolina has adopted a global warming pollution reduction plan.
Now, Duke energy has dashed our hopes with plans to build 2,200 Megawatts of new fossil fuel power in just the next few years, wiping out years of progress on clean energy and climate action. To make it even worse, Duke claims the two new fossil gas power plants are part of them complying with the global warming reduction plan.
The North Carolina Utilities Commission is reviewing the plans for both new fossil-gas power plants. Sign our quick petition opposing Duke’s fossil fuel power plants, and make a plan to attend one of these local hearings if you’re able:
For more information on each plant, use these links to the NCUC dockets:
- Marshall Plant: 850 MW Natural Gas-Fired Combustion Turbine in Catawba County E-7 Sub 1297
- Roxboro Plant: 1,360 MW Natural Gas-Fueled Combined Cycle Electric Generating Facility in Person County. E-2 Sub 1318 & EC-67 Sub 55
For those who need a quick refresher: In 2022, Duke Energy finally released a draft plan to reduce global-warming carbon emissions in the Carolinas. Even getting them to unveil a plan was a big struggle, and required an act of the Legislature.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, Duke’s carbon plan is a failure for our climate and communities. Local environmental and social justice organizations have found that Duke’s plan fails to meet 8 of the 12 criteria required by the law and we gave the plan a failing grade. A key part of Duke’s plan that we critiqued was its reliance on switching from coal to fracked gas, essentially trading one fossil fuel for another, instead of investing in actual clean energy like solar or wind.
Despite all that (and despite our thousands of comments opposing the draft plan) the NCUC chose to approve Duke’s carbon plan. And since then, Duke has been on a fossil fuel building spree. Having gotten permission to build new gas fired power plants as part of the carbon plan, Duke and it’s corporate allies have been proposing new fossil fuel pipelines, new gas fired power plants, new gas storage facilities, and new and unusually dirty ways to source the gas (hog shit methane!).
We worked with North Carolina leaders, Utility expert Nancy LaPlaca and our old friends at Beyond Extreme Energy on a series of trainings on how to intervene in NCUC dockets like this one, and how to mix that insider comment-filing with outside pressure and protest. Check out all the recordings and slides here if you want a refresher. Now it’s time to put those skills to use!
If you’re in North Carolina, and especially if you’re a Duke Energy (progress or Carolinas, there’s a power plant for each) Sign our quick petition and tell us who your utility company is, and then make a plan to attend one of these upcoming hearings.
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No new power plants