Politics

Senate bill orders expedited review of coal plant replacement

By Bill Moss, Published: May 21, 2015

Taking quick action on Duke Energy's plans to replace its coal-fired plant at Lake Julian, the North Carolina Senate passed legislation Thursday that directsthe state Utilities Commission to expedite its review of the utility's construction application.The bill also extends a deadline to close coal ash impoundments at the site by three years, allowing sufficient time for the old plant to close and the new plant to be constructed.

The Mountain Energy Act of 2015, sponsored by Senate Rules Committee Chairman Tom Apodaca of Hendersonville, will allow Duke Energy to retire the 50-year-old coal plant and replace it with a clean, efficient natural gas power plant that includes on-site solar generation. The modernization will expand the region’s energy infrastructure, making it much more attractive to companies considering where to locate or expand their operations, the Senate president's office said in a news release, and will significantly reduce environmental impacts along with long-term electricity costs for western North Carolina families.

“This is an exciting, long-term solution to eliminate coal ash and provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to the mountains," Apodaca said in a statement. "I raised this idea with Duke because it just made good sense, and I appreciate that they were receptive and have invested in making it a reality. State government can be a place where good ideas go to die, but this bill dispels that notion and brings one here to live.”

Last year, Apodaca helped lead successful efforts to pass a comprehensive plan for coal ash mitigation statewide. The law gave North Carolina the strictest regulations on coal ash in the nation and made it the first state to force the closure of all coal ash ponds.