Carbon Plan

On October 13, 2021, Governor Roy Cooper signed into law House Bill 951 (S.L. 2021-165) directing the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) to take all reasonable steps to achieve reductions in the emissions of carbon dioxide in this State from electric generating facilities owned or operated by certain electric public utilities. The NCUC is directed to achieve a reduction of 70% from 2005 levels by the year 2030 and carbon neutrality by the year 2050. Session Law 2021-165 limits the applicability of this requirement to Duke Energy Progress, LLC and Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke utilities). The NCUC is directed to develop a plan (the Carbon Plan) to achieve these emission reductions in the least cost manner by December 31, 2022, and to review the plan every two years thereafter. All filings and NCUC Orders for the 2022 Carbon Plan can be found at Docket No. E-100 Sub 179. The Commission issued its final order in this initial Carbon Plan proceeding on December 30, 2022, as well as provided direction for future Carbon Plan proceedings.

On March 23, 2023, the Commission issued an order establishing biennial proceedings for consolidated Carbon Plan and Integrated Resource Plans (CPIRP) for the Duke utilities. Details of the 2023 Carbon Plan can be found at Docket No. E-100, Sub 190.

As with all proceedings before the NCUC, the Public Staff will represent the using and consuming public in this matter. The Public Staff will work to ensure that the carbon reduction goals are met in a reliable and least cost manner, while minimizing the rate impacts to Duke ratepayers to the extent possible.

The Commission will receive testimony on the 2023 CPIRPs from members of the public at the following dates and times:

*This hearing will be held remotely via Webex, with members of the public participating by phone. People who would like to testify must register in advance, but no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 16, 2024. To register, please complete the electronic Remote Public Witness Registration form located on the Commission’s website at www.ncuc.gov/hearings/remotepublicregister.html . If assistance is needed, please call 919-733-0837. Only the first 20 individuals registered by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 16, 2024, will be allowed to testify at the April 23, 2024, remote public witness hearing. People who want to register must provide their name, the docket number (E-100, Sub 190), the telephone number that they will use to participate in the hearing, and the topic of their testimony. People who simply want to observe a remote hearing may do so via the live stream link on the Commission’s website. More information on how to participate in a remote hearing is found here.

The Commission has determined that an evidentiary hearing is warranted, for the purpose of receiving both written and oral expert witness testimony. Expert witnesses for Duke, the Public Staff, and other formally intervening parties will file direct and rebuttal testimony and be made available for cross examination from other parties and Commission questioning. The Commission scheduled a public technical conference, which was held on October 12, 2023, for the purpose of allowing the Commission to ask questions of Duke about its proposed 2023 CPIRP that was filed on August 17, 2023. On November 30 2023, Duke filed supplemental direct testimony that detailed material changes in its Spring 2023 load forecast that it used to develop its 2023 CPIRP, which was filed on August 17, 2023.  On December 18, 2023, Duke filed a letter stating its intent to file the supplemental modeling and analysis on January 31, 2024. As a result, Duke determined that it was necessary to perform supplemental modeling and analysis to inform the Commission’s consideration of the Companies’ Near-Term Action Plan. On January 17, 2024, the Commission issued a scheduling order, which set dates for: the filing of Duke’s supplemental modeling, additional portfolio analysis, and supplemental testimony; the filing of Public Staff and other intervenor direct testimony; Duke’s rebuttal testimony; and public and evidentiary hearing dates, times, and places. 

The evidentiary hearing will be broadcast on the Commission’s YouTube Channel.