Melissa Williams, melissa.williams@sierraclub.org
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke Energy, the country’s largest electric utility, has filed new long term energy plans for Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress that set earlier closure dates for some polluting coal units, but still bank on climate disrupting fracked gas as a mainstay for electricity generation.
These Integrated Resource Plans, filed with state regulators, are meant to guide Duke in identifying resources to meet the energy needs of its customers over the next 15 years. While the current plans assume slightly earlier retirement dates for some of Duke’s coal units, they also call for construction of thousands of megawatts of new gas-fired generation.
Both coal and fracked gas perpetuate climate disruption from greenhouse emissions and further lock our communities into long-term reliance on damaging fossil fuels. Meanwhile, North Carolina ranks second in the country for solar capacity, with 4,411.65 MW currently installed—outpacing even sunbelt states like Arizona and Nevada—yet Duke isn’t taking full advantage of this opportunity.
In response to the filings, David Rogers, campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in North Carolina released the following statement:
“While it's good that Duke is starting to realize that investing in clean energy sources makes more sense than burning coal, this plan doesn’t go nearly far enough. Burning coal for another generation and doubling down on fracked gas doesn't do anything to address the climate crisis.
“Burning coal until 2048 is hardly a ‘carbon constrained’ scenario, as their filing claims, nor is a massive expansion of plants that burn fracked gas, which, over its first 20 years in the atmosphere, is 87 times more potent for trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
“Combining our abundant, low-cost solar resources with wind and robust, fully accessible energy efficiency programs would significantly reduce the fuel costs Duke tacks onto customers’ bills, and would not only allow Duke to more quickly phase out dirty coal-fired power plants, but also stop its rush to build expensive, climate disrupting fracked gas infrastructure.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.