NC WARN has long maintained that Duke Energy wildly exaggerates projections of electricity demand so it can keep building unneeded power plants and raising customer rates – and that state regulators should scrutinize the estimates instead of accepting Duke execs at their word year after year.
Methane, Fracked Gas & Climate
Methane (the main component in natural gas) is 100 times as bad for the climate as carbon dioxide over the short term. Less CO2 is emitted by natural gas than by coal when burned. But significant leakage of methane before burning makes gas a disaster for the climate, as revealed even more by recent science. Yet utilities and the gas industry are still feverishly promoting fracked gas.
NC WARN is working hard to connect the dots between climate change, methane leakage and the fracking boom that is driven by demand from the electric power industry.
Learn more about our methane work here.
Watch a 3-minute video by Cornell University’s Dr. Robert Howarth describing why natural gas is a disastrous strategy for the climate. More videos, PowerPoints and documentation here.
“Everything You Need to Know About Methane”, a primer by Earthjustice.
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US ‘likely culprit’ of global spike in methane emissions over last decade — The Guardian
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.
Duke Energy Hides Key Info in Fracking Gas Power Plant Fight — WCHL
Duke Energy Hides Key Info in Controversial Power Plant Fight — News Release from NC WARN
Durham, NC – Duke Energy is withholding from public view large blocks of information critical to the utility’s case to build a large gas-fired power plant in Asheville. NC WARN and The Climate Times today filed a motion calling for regulators to compel Duke to put the data on the table for scrutiny.