SACE Objects to Duke’s Request for Second Mammoth Fossil Gas Plant in Person County

In response to Duke Energy’s filing of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for Roxboro 2 today, Shelley Robbins, SACE Senior Decarbonization Manager, released the following statement: “SACE is disappointed but not surprised by Duke Energy’s application for a second mammoth combined cycle fossil gas plant in Person County across the street from Woodland Elementary School. In the application, Duke describes the plant as “foundational to the Companies’ least cost generation transition strategy.” Adding more fossil gas generation to the system is not the least cost – Duke’s own Carbon Plan revealed that solar is always less expensive for ratepayers than adding generation that relies on increasingly expensive gas.

“Adding another gas plant is more foundational to the Companies’ desire to add assets that can generate a lucrative rate of return. The coal plants that the two big gas plants are replacing barely run, so replacing this capacity is not the problem. In addition, anticipated load growth remains highly uncertain. The fact is, renewables and battery storage can be sited and built much faster than gas plants and pipelines, they are more nimble than big gas plants, and they do not emit air pollutants in the faces of school children. SACE hopes that the NC Utilities Commission will recognize the changing load growth landscape and deny the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for Roxboro 2.”

For more context on the Person County community, read Person County deserves a better deal from Duke.