Public can comment on Duke Energy plan that rolls back green goals

The public has a chance to weigh in on Duke Energy’s new Carbon Plan starting next month. The plan has received criticism from environmental groups for its lack of commitment to green energy sources.

The utility’s resource proposal differs from its 2023 plan; it will eliminate wind power additions until at least 2040, and coal will be burned for two to four years longer than expected.

Brittany Griffin, advocacy manager for CleanAIRE NC, pointed out other concerning elements of the plan.

“There is new natural gas,” she said. “So, proposing building about 12 new natural gas-powered generators. There’s some more nuclear in there, extending the life of around 11 nuclear facilities.”

Griffin said the plan also includes new technology, such as carbon capture and green hydrogen, that have unproven track records. However, she said the most concerning part of Duke’s plan for the future is a 15% rate increase starting in 2027.

Duke has said changes to its energy mix are necessary for reliability and to meet future growth in the state. The North Carolina Utilities Commission is holding public hearings on the plan, including its first meeting on Feb. 4 in Durham. There’s also a virtual meeting scheduled for March 16.

Griffin said the state needs to move away from burning fossil fuels, not only because it drives climate change but because it’s harmful to people’s health. It generates a fine particular matter that’s often called soot.

“These fine particles are really small, enough to just infiltrate our lungs and pass into our bloodstream,” she said, “and from there that can wreak havoc on our body, specifically certain organs, which include the heart and brain.”

Griffin said members of communities that are especially vulnerable to climate change have struggled to provide input on Duke’s Carbon Plan. She said technical jargon in the plan makes it hard to understand, so CleanAIRE NC and other organizations are filling the gap.

“It is our job,” she said, “to break down the information and share it out to raise awareness and let people feel a little bit more prepared to advocate for a more robust and affordable Carbon Plan.”

CleanAIRE NC made a course available this week aimed at making the plan more understandable. The state utilities commission has until the end of the year to issue on order on the plan.

Related: Duke Energy asks the EPA to let it release more emissions