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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 5d

The nonprofit CleanAIRE NC issued a statement expressing “serious concerns about Duke Energy’s proposed plan, which continues to prioritize fossil fuel expansion, delays coal retirement, and lacks meaningful engagement with the communities most vulnerable to environmental and economic harm.”

In Its New Carbon Plan, Duke Energy Gambles on Coal as a Shorter-Term Fix for Powering Data Centers - Inside Climate News

North Carolina’s largest utility cites the Trump administration’s rollback of air pollution regulations and increases in power demand as factors in its proposed fuel mix.

insideclimatenews.org

Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 5d

Instead of focusing on solar and wind, Duke Energy is prioritizing meeting increasing demand from expected new data centers and manufacturers by turning to coal plants at times when energy demand is highest.

Duke Energy has released its new carbon-reduction plan. Here's how 2025 NC legislation shaped it.

The NC General Assembly overrode Gov. Josh Stein's veto to pass a bill removing an interim carbon reduction target.

www.wunc.org

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 5d

“It’s certainly a regressive vision for North Carolina’s energy future,” said Josh Brooks, chief of policy strategy and innovation for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association.

Duke Energy backs off renewables after North Carolina cuts climate…

The state repealed the utility’s 2030 emissions target in July. Duke’s response? A plan to slash solar and wind, double down on gas — and burn more coal.

www.canarymedia.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 5d

Duke’s new resource plan "continues the horrible record of one of the world’s worst climate polluters," said Jim Warren of the energy justice group NC WARN.

Duke Energy wants coal, gas for rising power needs. Clean-energy groups object.

Clean-energy advocates criticize the company’s new “Carbon Plan” update, saying it ultimately could cost rate-payers billions of dollars while better, cheaper options are available.

www.newsobserver.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 5d

"This plan prematurely removes or delays low-cost, easy-to-develop generation options from the portfolio while extending the life of uneconomic resources," said Matt Abele, executive director of the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association.

Duke Energy '2025 Carolinas' plan includes more gas, delayed coal retirements

Duke Energy’s new 15-year plan extends coal, adds more gas, and slows solar after NC scrapped its 2030 carbon mandate, raising questions about climate progress.

www.wral.com

Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 6d

Duke Energy has released a new carbon plan for the Carolinas that would increase its methane gas capacity, delay closure of coal plants, evaluate two sites for nuclear power, slow the addition of solar power, and abandon plans for offshore wind for at least a decade and a half.

Duke Energy's latest plan will delay some coal retirements while studying more nuclear plants

The plan comes after the state gave Duke Energy a longer timeline to reduce carbon emissions.

www.axios.com

Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 8d

The trade group for electric utilities opposes the EPA proposal to scrap the greenhouse gas endangerment finding, arguing it would make companies even more vulnerable to lawsuits like the one Carrboro, NC, filed against Duke Energy over its climate deceptions. www.regulations.gov/comment/EPA-...

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 8d

“The source of Duke’s liability is their deception. It’s not emissions,” said Matthew Quinn, attorney for the plaintiffs.

Duke Energy contests climate change case

Attorneys argued over whether property damage from global climate change could be linked to Duke Energy’s emissions, statements and publications.

courthousenews.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 9d

“It’s no secret that private equity is extremely aggressive in chasing profits, and when it comes to utilities, the profit motive lands squarely on the backs of ratepayers who don’t have a choice of who they buy their electricity from,” said Karlee Weinmann of the Energy and Policy Institute.

Private equity sees profits in power utilities as electric bills rise and Big Tech seeks more energy

Private investment firms that are helping finance America’s artificial intelligence race and the huge buildout of energy-hungry data centers are getting interested in the local utilities that deliver ...

apnews.com

Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 11d

"(Duke's) deception campaign caused a doubling down on fossil fuels, (which) caused a delay to renewable energy, (which) caused climate change impacts that Carrboro (is now facing)," said Carrboro attorney Matthew Quinn.

Judge considers motion to dismiss Carrboro's lawsuit against Duke Energy

The town of Carrboro filed suit against Duke Energy last December, alleging the utility giant engaged in a public deception campaign to dismiss concerns about climate change. Lawyers for Duke Energy a...

www.wunc.org

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 11d

"What we’ve alleged is: we’d be materially further along [in using renewable energy options] and the climate crisis would be much less acute if Duke had not engaged in this deception," said Matthew Quinn, attorney for Carrboro.

Town of Carrboro Argues Case in Duke Energy, Climate Change Lawsuit's Initial Hearing - Chapelboro.com

The Town of Carrboro presented its legal rationale for continuing a 2024 climate change-focused lawsuit against Duke Energy on Thursday.

chapelboro.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 11d

"Our theory is that Duke's massive deception got everybody hooked on fossil fuels, like Philip Morris" and cigarettes, Carrboro attorney Matthew Quinn told the court: insideclimatenews.org/news/2609202...

Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 11d

Clearwater, Florida, has completed its yearlong study into ditching Duke Energy for municipal power. It found that the move would save customers about 7% each year for the first five years, then about 18% annually in the following 25 years.

Clearwater study says leaving Duke could drop residents’ electric bills

The long-awaited analysis estimates residents could save millions.

www.tampabay.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 12d

A cautionary tale for utility watchers everywhere: Marissa Gillett, a winning advocate for consumers as chair of Connecticut's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, will step down on Oct. 10 after a years-long campaign by the state's monopoly utilities to knock her out of office.

Monopoly Utilities Ousted America's Best Regulator

Bummer news for utility bills.

boondoggle.substack.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 12d

The hearing lasted all day, with robust arguments about the lawsuit's theory and relevant case law. Rather than rule on Duke's motion to dismiss, presiding Judge Mark Davis called for additional briefings from both sides, due in four weeks.

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 13d

@billycorriher.bsky.social, please send it my way!

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 13d

A North Carolina Business Court judge will hear Duke Energy's motion to dismiss Carrboro’s climate lawsuit today.

Duke Energy, Carrboro clash in court over climate accountability

A judge will hear Duke Energy’s motion to dismiss Carrboro’s climate lawsuit Thursday. The town claims deception fueled damages, while Duke argues federal law preempts the case.

www.wral.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 13d

As high and climbing power bills pose a political problem for the ruling Republicans, House Democrats have introduced the Cheap Energy Act to speed the country's shift away from expensive fossil fuels to less costly renewables.

Democrats Bid to Become the Party of Cheap Energy: Exclusive

Representatives Sean Casten and Mike Levin have a new package of legislation designed to lower electricity prices — in a way that just so happens to be “clean.”

heatmap.news

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 14d

Duke Energy is among the utility companies calling for a rollback of federal greenhouse gas regulations.

Utilities and fossil fuel industry support proposed Trump administration air pollution rollbacks

Utilities and fossil fuel companies supported proposals to repeal air pollution and greenhouse gas regulations for power plants.

energyandpolicy.org

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 15d

"As the South becomes the new epicenter of data center growth, it is becoming increasingly clear that Big Tech is following Big Oil’s footsteps, compounding the harms of decades of environmental racism in the South," writes Jai Dulani of MediaJustice.

Big Tech Data Centers Compound Decades of Environmental Racism in the South

The American South has long been a site of both corporate extraction and fierce political resistance.

truthout.org

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 16d

All of Duke Energy's utility subsidiaries received failing grades in the Sierra Club's new report examining how electric utilities are backsliding on the clean energy transition. www.sierraclub.org/sites/defaul...

Cover of Sierra Club's The Dirty Truth Report showing pollution coming from two smokestacks

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 18d

A 250-megawatt data center can use about a billion gallons of water each year. "That’s about what the demand is for some of our merger communities like Knightdale and Wendell," said Ed Buchan, assistant director of Raleigh Water.

AI data centers would need millions of gallons of North Carolina’s water supply a day

A single AI data center could use as much water as a small town, raising questions in North Carolina about growth, climate resilience and resource planning.

www.wral.com

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 18d

And if you really like it, buy multiples, because they'll eventually discontinue it.

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 18d

At a recent public hearing in rural North Carolina about a pipeline planned primarily to serve Duke Energy gas plants, only five people spoke in favor of the permitting -- and four were current employees or recent associates of Williams Transco, the company that wants to build the pipeline.

Rockingham County residents voice opposition to the SSEP

North Carolina residents hold signs opposing the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project at the Sept. 4 N.C. DEQ hearing in Kernersville.

appvoices.org

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Sue Sturgis @suesturgis.bsky.social · 19d

An expert analysis of Duke Energy Progress's fuel costs in North Carolina found that the utility is dispatching coal units even when they're not the cheapest resource. Their customers bear the financial consequences, since fuels costs are passed directly on to them. cleanenergy.org/news/duke-en...

Screengrab of the top of a Southern Alliance for Clean Energy blog post titled, "Duke Energy Is Running Coal Plants Too Much, Costing Ratepayers."