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Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Sign the Public Comment Letter on Duke Energy’s Biennial Carbon Plan and Integrated Resource Plan
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Department: |
Public Works |
Meeting Date: |
3/24/2026 |
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Contact Name: |
David Ingram |
Public Hearing: |
No |
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Contact Phone: |
910-341-1602 |
Advertising Date/Advertised By: |
N/A |
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Attachments: |
Attachment #1: Resolution; Attachment #2: 2025-26 CPIRP Comment Letter; Attachment #3: CPIRP Presentation for Council; Attachment #4: 2009 Greenhouse Gas Resolution; Attachment #5: Resolution Establishing Clean Energy Goals |
PURPOSE:
Attached for your consideration is a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign a public comment letter, in collaboration with other North Carolina local governments, titled: “Statement of Position of North Carolina Local Governments on Duke Energy’s Carbon Biennial Carbon Plan and Integrated Resource Plan (CPIRP)”.
BACKGROUND:
Previously, the NC Utilities Commission (“NCUC”) was directed by law (HB 951) to develop, in collaboration with electric public utilities and stakeholders, a carbon plan to achieve a 70% reduction in emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. While legislators passed Senate Bill 266 in 2025, which eliminated the interim 2030 target, utilities must still achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Duke Energy filed its proposed 2025-26 CPIRP to the NCUC on October 1, 2025, for review and approval. The CPIRP (<https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/irp-carolinas>) recommends one pathway to meet the massive load growth projections for the next 20 years. The plan includes increasing natural gas generation, delaying the retirement of coal power plants, reducing solar buildout, increasing battery storage, and eliminating long-term planning for onshore or offshore wind or hydroelectric resources. While the 2030 interim carbon reduction target was repealed, Duke Energy’s current CPIRP proposal would make it extremely difficult and costly to meet the 2050 statutory requirement for carbon neutrality.
This CPIRP public comment letter is an important opportunity for local governments to collaborate with and provide unique input to the NCUC, Duke Energy, and other stakeholders to ensure our towns, cities, counties, and citizens achieve our own goals related to affordability, emission reductions, renewable energy, and resilience. The public comment letter was developed with input from local governments across the state, encouraging a CPIRP that will provide affordable, reliable energy to constituents without compromising cities’ clean energy and resiliency goals.
Key recommendations for the NCUC, which are further elaborated throughout the letter, include the following:
• Call for greater transparency and explanation of Duke Energy’s economic development load forecasting methodology. Duke Energy’s methodology for projecting new load drives major investment decisions and long-term rate impacts. Clearer assumptions and documentation will help stakeholders evaluate system needs and protect customers from unnecessary costs.
• Require Duke Energy to plan for an affordable, reliable, and resilient energy system by optimizing the existing grid and investing in cost-effective, least-risk electricity generation resources. Fossil fuel generation exposes customers to unpredictable fuel costs, while renewable resources have no fuel costs and provide long-term price stability. Strengthening the existing grid and competitively acquiring resources through all-source procurement will reduce reliance on more costly new generation and limit exposure to volatile fuel markets, supporting a least-risk system and helping maintain affordability for residents, businesses, and local governments.
• Encourage Duke Energy to create viable, cost-effective clean energy procurement pathways for large customers. The resource mix proposed in the CPIRP will not enable local governments to meet their near-term clean energy and climate targets, underscoring the need for alternative procurement pathways. The current Green Source Advantage (GSA) and GSA Choice structures remain too complex, restrictive, and costly, suppressing customer uptake and underscoring the need for accessible, affordable programs to fill the near-term gap.
• Encourage Duke Energy to fully value energy efficiency and demand-side resources in planning. These resources reduce peak demand, defer costly infrastructure, and enhance resilience at a lower cost than new generation. Treating them as selectable planning resources will improve system affordability and reliability.
• Protect existing ratepayers from disproportionate cost burdens associated with new large loads. Rapid growth should not result in higher bills for residents, small businesses, or public agencies already struggling with rising energy costs. Fair cost allocation-consistent with models used in other states-will help maintain affordability as the grid expands.
Participation in this CPIRP public comment process supports several of Wilmington’s goals, including:
• 2009 Resolution establishing a municipal operations greenhouse gas (“GHG”) reduction goal of 58% by 2050
• 2021 Resolution adopting 2035 and 2050 clean energy goals
• Recommendations approved by the Clean Energy Advisory Committee.
budget
BUDGET IMPACT:
No budget impact is anticipated.
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff recommends that the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, be authorized to sign the attached public comment letter to the North Carolina Utilities Commission titled: “Statement of Position of North Carolina Local Governments on Duke Energy’s Carbon Biennial Carbon Plan and Integrated Resource Plan (CPIRP)”.