Duke Energy Releases Latest Plans to Increase Investment in Expensive, Dirty Energy
Duke Energy’s latest proposed Carbon Plan would increase reliance on expensive and polluting methane gas, slow the retirement of even dirtier coal-fired power plants, and diminish the role of clean, renewable energy sources. It’s another disappointing retreat from the original bipartisan goal of getting major reductions in carbon emissions by 2030 and 100% net clean energy by 2050.
Pro-pollution legislation adopted earlier this year removed the 2030 target of a 70% reduction of carbon emissions from 2005 levels. Duke acknowledges in media interviews that the legislation has enabled it to retreat from that goal and switch to plans that continue more air pollution for longer.
Largest Methane Gas Buildout in U.S.
“Duke Energy has leaned into the largest methane gas buildout in the United States, along with expensive nuclear plants and further extending coal retirement dates,” said Michelle “Meech” Carter, NC League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) clean energy campaigns director. “Building gas power plants and pipelines to the scale Duke Energy is proposing will leave ratepayers holding the bag – and the bill. Gas plants built now will likely not be used their whole lifespan, leading to stranded costs for ratepayers. More importantly, the expansion of methane gas infrastructure is driven by the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence, allowing big technology companies and Duke Energy to profit at ratepayers’ expense.”
Expensive New Gas Plants
Other environmental and climate action advocates agree. David Neal, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said, “We’re concerned that regulated monopoly Duke Energy is continuing to rely on expensive new gas power plants, leaving North Carolina families on the hook for escalating fuel costs and making it harder to reach the 2050 carbon neutrality requirement. Duke yet again appears to have fallen short of taking full advantage of energy efficiency, load flexibility, renewables, and storage, which remain the cheapest and fastest suite of options for meeting rising demand.”
Mikaela Curry, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Manager, said, “Duke’s proposal to delay coal retirements is a disappointing and unsettling departure from the utility’s previous commitments. The plants are still old and outdated, and increasingly unaffordable because of equipment, labor, and railway shortages. None of this has changed except Duke’s hunger for more money on the backs of hard-working families and small businesses, all in the name of delivering electricity to power-hungry data centers owned by the richest companies in the history of the world. Duke Energy has an obligation to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy for North Carolinians, and as its CEO, Harry Sideris should ensure his company is prioritizing clean, proven technology instead of putting his thumb on the scale in favor of burning coal longer or overbuilding new gas plants to benefit his worldwide monopoly utility shareholders.”
Next Steps for Carbon Plan
Duke’s proposed Carbon Plan will now go through a public comment process conducted by the NC Utilities Commission. We will continue to follow this process with analysis and recommended comments as the public input schedule is finalized. Make sure you are subscribed to our action takers’ email list to stay updated on actions you can take to influence the Carbon plan.
