As energy demand and prices rise, Gov. Josh Stein established a task force aimed at strengthening North Carolina’s electricity infrastructure and keeping costs affordable.
The Democratic governor signed an executive order today naming state Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson and Rep. Kyle Hall, a Republican from King in Forsyth County, to co-chair the North Carolina Energy Policy Task Force.
Stein wants the task force to recommend ways to bolster North Carolina’s transition to a clean energy economy that already employs more than 100,000 people. “I am grateful for this task force helping to determine how our state can build on this economic momentum, meet growing energy demands, and ensure electricity is affordable for North Carolinians,’’ the governor said in a statement.
Efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions face headwinds in North Carolina and nationwide. In July, Congress passed President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful’” reconciliation bill that rolled back clean energy and manufacturing credits. Part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, those credits sparked more than $24 billion in clean energy technology investments across the state, Stein’s office said.
In Raleigh, lawmakers overruled Stein’s veto of Senate Bill 261 over concerns about energy affordability, despite the legislation’s title The Power Bill Reduction Act.
The law enacted last month allows Duke Energy to cancel its interim carbon reduction goal of 70% by 2030, while still requiring the Charlotte-based utility to achieve zero-net emissions 20 years later. The delay may wind up costing ratepayers as much as $23 billion in added fuel expenses through 2025, a NC State study found. Duke University economists concurred with the findings, based on the potential for natural gas prices to soar.
The law also shifted more of the fuel cost burden onto residential customers from the commercial and industrial sectors.
U.S. residential electricity prices have increased at a faster pace than overall inflation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In today’s statement, the governor’s office laid out the dilemma of meeting rising energy demand and holding prices in check, while instructing the task force to find answers.
“With our state’s rapidly growing manufacturing footprint and the use of energy-intensive data centers for artificial intelligence and other uses increasing, the need for electrical power is placing additional demand on the state’s energy grid,” it said. “Such demand may lead to higher utility bills for families. With growing demand in mind, North Carolina must work to meet its energy requirements while keeping electricity costs low for families.’’
Rep. Hall said, “This bipartisan task force will find real solutions that continue to foster growth and keep more money in North Carolinians’ wallets. North Carolina is growing fast, and we need to meet a greater need for energy while at the same time lowering people’s utility bills.’’
Duke Energy and Dominion Energy are represented on the task force, as are state regulatory agencies, environmental groups, the Southeastern Wind Coalition and other alternative energy groups. Industry representatives include executives from Amazon, Google and Toyota.
The task force will submit an annual report to the governor, the General Assembly, the state Utilities Commission, the North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority and the public.
