With an accelerating climate crisis that top scientists warn could be within five years of moving beyond humanity’s control, and with North Carolina pouring out more carbon dioxide from fossil fuels than 186 entire nations, clean-energy group NC WARN today announces a grassroots push to close all coal-fired power plants in the state within 15 years.
The campaign is based on analysis of energy industry data by Dr. John Blackburn, presented today at a press teleconference and as testimony this week at a NC Utilities Commission hearing. The emeritus Economics Department Chairman and former Chancellor of Duke University argues that reasonable levels of energy efficiency, renewable power and cogeneration can allow for closing all coal-burning plants operated in the state by Progress Energy and Duke Energy* – including the latter’s Cliffside plant, which is under construction but facing cost problems and construction delays.
Dr. Blackburn insists such a clean-energy approach protects the state’s economy by creating thousands of jobs and avoiding construction of highly expensive, financially risky nuclear power plants.
