CHARLOTTE — Thursday, the EPA announced new rules aimed at reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas power plants. The EPA also plans to tighten federal standards for how utilities dispose of and store coal ash.
According to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, the rules aim to reduce the public health and climate impacts of new natural gas and existing coal power plants that are planned to run in the long term.
Duke Energy plans to retire all of its coal units by 2036, though, it’s currently requesting the North Carolina Utilities Commission to approve a plan that adds 10 new natural gas units over the next 11 years.
In a statement to Channel 9, Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks said the utility is still analyzing the final rules, but the company believes it will not change their path forward.
“We [will] continue retiring our coal plants and supporting the state’s unprecedented growth with an all-of-the-above approach …