Regulators Avoid Major Setbacks in Duke Energy Resource Plan
Regulators at the Public Service Commission (PSC) have approved a long-term plan for Duke Energy that avoids major delays in coal plant retirements, adds meaningful amounts of renewable energy, and requires certain key recommendations from environmental groups. Thank you to all CVSC advocates who spoke at the PSC or submitted written comments—you’re changing the conversation and pushing our state towards a better energy future.
Last year, Duke submitted its long-term plan for energy generation, which was a bit of a mixed bag. It included big additions of solar, wind, and battery storage, but it also called for several new gas plants, including one planned for Anderson County. At a public hearing, customers protested the plan’s reliance on gas, as well as a lack of transparency. Meanwhile, environmental groups criticized Duke’s artificial limits on building solar, commitment to risky gas projects, and lack of sufficient battery storage investments.
Earlier this month, the PSC approved Duke’s proposed plan, with both the renewable and natural gas additions. On one hand, we’re disappointed to see Duke’s plans for polluting, expensive gas mega-projects go unchallenged by regulators. However, this plan also avoids major setbacks for clean energy in our state. During the hearing, some Commissioners seemed in favor of slowing both coal retirement and solar development, and even stopping wind development altogether. The plan ultimately approved by the PSC avoids these massive pitfalls—and that’s great news!
The PSC’s decision also added some important directives, including many suggested by environmental groups. If we act upon these directives, we will lower energy bills and add more solar and batteries to the grid. These also represent best practices that other utilities in the state should embrace.
- Energy efficiency: Duke must develop new energy efficiency programs! Regulators specifically called out programs that incentivize customers to purchase solar panels and home battery systems. Incentives like these allow Duke to add renewable energy in a coordinated, low-cost way.
- Transmission: Duke will work with other power companies across the Carolinas to improve energy transmission planning through a more proactive, coordinated, and holistic approach. Improved transmission planning reduces the costs of generating and transporting energy, allows for the addition of more renewable projects, and improves reliability during extreme weather events.
- Customer-sited generation: Duke must work with large energy customers to develop programs to generate power on-site. Walmart specifically wants better programs for solar and battery storage to meet its internal clean energy goals. As more large customers come to South Carolina, they can meet some of their own needs with renewable resources, reducing the burden on residential customers to pay for new power plants.
After hundreds of pages of testimony, days of extensive hearings, and weeks of deliberation, the PSC determined that energy efficiency, transmission planning, and customer-sited generation are key parts of our state’s energy strategy. These are some of the big conversations we need to have moving forward—both at the PSC and in the Statehouse. As the Senate Special Committee on South Carolina’s Energy Future continues to deliberate legislation for 2025, we hope they’ll mirror the PSC’s work and keep our state moving forward. And with advocates like you, CVSC will keep speaking up, pushing Duke and other power companies towards a clean, affordable energy future.
Thank you for your attention, and an extra thank you to everyone who participated in Duke’s IRP process. Environmental voices like yours are changing the conversation for the better. If you have any questions, please contact CVSC Energy Project Manager Jalen Brooks-Knepfle at [email protected].