North Carolina has been a clean energy leader in the Southeast, known for its investments in renewable energy, but a decision by the state’s utility regulator last year threatens to jeopardize that progress. In a November 2024 order, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) changed how the state will achieve its clean energy goals by delaying the phaseout of coal-fired power and giving Duke Energy, the state’s largest utility, the green light to build four new methane gas plants.
In December, the NCUC issued orders stating that natural gas plants are necessary to reduce emissions at two Duke Energy sites: the Roxboro plant in Person County and the Marshall plant in Catawba County. Duke will replace two of its four coal-burning plants at each site with two natural gas-fired generators as part of the plan.
However, a senior Southern Environmental Law Center attorney, Munashe Magarira, told WRAL News that natural gas power plants fall short of advancing a clean energy future. “Natural gas is not a clean source of generation,” he said. “It has methane in addition to carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants that will cause damage to surrounding communities.”
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers methane to be a 27-30 times more potent greenhouse gas (GHG) than carbon dioxide.
Duke Energy has defended its plan, stating that switching to natural gas is essential for the stability of the electric grid during the transition away from coal energy. However, the shift to energy from one fossil fuel to another is a significant step backward for North Carolina’s goal to lower its emissions, increasing greenhouse gas emissions by 83.67%.
Jake Duncan, Southeast Regulatory Director at Vote Solar, called the NCUC’s decision a lost opportunity to embrace clean energy innovation. He stated that “allowing Duke to delay coal retirement and build four new methane gas plants, the NCUC missed a pivotal opportunity to move away from a fossil fuel centered energy system to a resilient and distributed clean energy future that prioritizes people over profits.”
For some residents, the decision hits closer to home. HollyAnn Rogers, a former resident of Person County, said she loved living in the area but ultimately decided to leave the county after learning about the new natural gas facilities.
“Person County is gorgeous, and I was devastated to leave,” Rogers said. “But I’m not willing to live between two natural gas facilities.”
She added that her “heart breaks” for her friends in Person County who want to leave but can’t. “This was their dream home, and they were retired and planning to live the rest of their lives there. How are you going to sell your house when there’s this huge facility being built directly across the street? They’re stuck,” Rogers said.
The new plants are scheduled to begin generating electricity in 2029. Once operational, they will provide 1,360 megawatts (MW) capacity at the Roxboro site and 850 MW at the Marshall site. For a time, the coal and natural gas plant facilities will operate simultaneously, intensifying the environmental burden and leaving many questioning whether this path aligns with North Carolina’s clean energy ambitions.
