N.C. WARN was among those opposing Duke’s plan for new generating units in Asheville. In a statement Monday afternoon, the group said: “Duke Energy can and should close the Asheville coal units now. Our position has been strengthened during this case: Duke’s huge natural gas power plant is not needed, would be high-risk economically, and would accelerate the global climate crisis at the worst possible time.”
Duke Energy Gas Expansion
Duke Energy is planning a massive increase in its burning of natural gas to produce electricity. This would be a climate disaster because of the large amounts of super-potent methane that leak unburned from gas operations, particularly fracking. Recent science from the United Nations and others show that new gas infrastructure is incompatible with the goal of preventing catastrophic climate change. Read more here and in the news items below about NC WARN’s work to block Duke’s fracking gas future.
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Duke Energy gets approval for Asheville plant — The Charlotte Observer
The N.C. Utilities Commission will let Duke Energy build two natural gas-fired units at its Asheville power plant, replacing coal, but denied Duke’s contingent request for a third gas unit.
The Durham advocacy group NC WARN, which claims the fast-track approval let the project avoid in-depth scrutiny, said it will appeal the decision.
State’s Gift to Duke Energy to be Appealed — News Release from NC WARN and The Climate Times
Regulators approve most of Duke Energy’s $1B plan for new gas plant and infrastructure upgrades in Asheville — Charlotte Business Journal
State regulators say Duke Energy Progress can go ahead with a $750 million plan to build a 560-megawatt, two-unit natural gas plant in Asheville.
Jim Warren, executive director of the Durham watchdog group NC WARN, says the decision “sadly demonstrates Duke Energy’s corporate control over our politicians and regulators.”
Duke Energy Misled Regulators at Meeting over New Gas Plant — News Release from NC WARN
Last Monday’s meeting of the NC Utilities Commission perfectly demonstrated why fast-track review of Duke Energy’s application to build a $1.1 billion power plant fails the public interest and is unconstitutional. A Duke Energy attorney laying out a one-sided, over-simplified and misleading case to commissioners is no substitute for an evidentiary hearing that allows for open debate and cross-examination of Duke officials, the Commission’s Public Staff and experts representing other parties.
Exposing Duke Energy’s Fiction: Actual Growth Rate is Three Times Lower than Estimates Used to Argue for New Plants over the Years — News Release from NC WARN
Three Prominent Experts: Duke Power Plant Should be Rejected — News Release from NC WARN & The Climate Times
Today NC WARN and The Climate Times filed a legal motion and affidavits by three prominent technical experts urging state regulators to deny Duke Energy’s application to build a huge natural gas power plant in Asheville because it is not needed, would be high-risk economically, and would accelerate the global climate crisis at the worst possible time.
Regulators Side with Duke Energy’s Secret-keeping in Statewide Fight — News Release from NC WARN
The NC Utilities Commission has denied our motion to require Duke Energy to stop hiding information critical to the utility’s case to build a large gas-fired power plant in Asheville. This case is a statewide fight – moving toward a public meeting in Raleigh February 22 – with national ramifications over the future of the natural gas industry, the climate crisis and Duke Energy’s business model.
Openly justify the fracking gas plant in Asheville or withdraw the application — Letter to Lynn Good from NC WARN
Asheville area residents gather to protest power plant — Blue Banner, UNC Asheville
On a cold and rainy night in Asheville, concerned citizens, environmental activists, faith leaders and Duke Energy Progress customers packed Asheville’s courthouse last Tuesday to debate Western North Carolina’s future energy policy in the face of renovations at Duke Energy Progress’ Lake Julian power station.