More clean energy and climate action advocates are completing their analyses of the NC Utilities Commission’s (NCUC) “Carbon Plan”—and the consensus is disappointment.

“It’s hard to overstate our disappointment with the NC Carbon Plan and the degree to which regulators accepted arguments from Duke Energy that were simply false,” said Chris Carmody, director of the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association (CCEBA). “Having said that, there will be significant procurement of solar and storage in the years ahead with substantial IPP ownership, and there are battles yet to be resolved on competitive procurement in areas from stand-alone storage to offshore wind.” 

“North Carolina can meet state carbon-reduction goals on time and in a cleaner and more affordable way than suggested by Duke Energy and endorsed by the Commission. Expert modeling shows a no-regrets pathway that would have better fostered the growth of our clean energy economy and created a healthier environment for North Carolinians,” said David Neal, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, which represents the Natural Resources Defense Council, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and the Sierra Club. “Relying more on low-cost renewable energy and treating energy efficiency as a priority resource would have positioned North Carolina to take full advantage of the cost-savings made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and continue to make our grid stronger and more reliable, all while costing less on customer bills than Duke’s proposals.” 

Once again, there’s clearly more work to be done to implement the goals of the bipartisan legislation which initiated the carbon plan process.