Public weighs in on Duke Energys plans to increase capacity and cut emissions WSOC TV [Video]

CHARLOTTE — In the second of five North Carolina Utilities Commission public hearings, more than two dozen Duke customers and environmental activists criticized Duke Energy’s plans to reach state energy goals by dramatically increasing the state’s reliance on natural gas.

By the end of the year, the NCUC will determine how Duke Energy should increase it’s energy output to meet growing demand and meet state-mandated carbon emission goals without putting the grid’s stability in jeopardy or passing on unreasonable cost-burdens to ratepayers. Under North Carolina law, Duke Energy must submit a plan every two years laying out the utility’s strategy to meet those standards, including a 70 percent reduction in CO2 emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, and net neutral emissions by 2050.

The current plan details efforts to add nearly 6500 MW of utility scale solar and significantly expand battery storage over the next five years. It also includes plans to add offshore wind and advanced …