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Submit Public Comments to the North Carolina Utilities Commission Concerning Duke Energy’s Carolinas Carbon Plan.
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Maurice Jones, Town Manager |
Town Manager’s Office |
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Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Deputy Town Manager |
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John Richardson, Community Sustainability Manager |
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Overview: Duke Energy has submitted the Carolinas Carbon Plan <https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/carolinas-carbon-plan> for the North Carolina Utilities Commission’s (NCUC) review and approval by no later than December 21, 2022. Similar to steps taken by the Town in 2021 <https://chapelhill.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4763185&GUID=F90E87C9-9100-4E4B-B38A-E64844ADB119&Options=Advanced&Search=&FullText=1> with regard to Duke Energy’s 2020 Integrated Resource Plan, this review process is an opportunity for the Town to once again join with other North Carolina communities to share our climate action goals and communicate how the Carolinas Carbon Plan can best support them. As proposed and discussed in the attached Staff Report, a joint letter is a collective effort to advance our governments’ renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets.
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Recommendation(s): |
That the Council support a joint letter with other North Carolina local governments to submit public comments to the North Carolina Utilities Commission concerning Duke Energy’s Carolinas Carbon Plan.
Background:
• The Carolinas Carbon Plan serves as Duke Energy’s 2022 Integrated Resources Plan (IRP), which is a plan that is reviewed and approved by the NCUC every two years and one that communicates strategies for providing reliable electricity at the lowest cost over a 15-year period.
• By joining other North Carolina communities to comment on the Carolinas Carbon Plan, the Town has an opportunity to advocate for bringing more renewable energy to our electricity grid. We also have the chance to highlight the need for more support with local, affordable energy efficiency programming and expanded electric vehicle infrastructure.
• With the Council’s permission, our plan is to jointly submit comments that are aligned with the Town’s Climate Action and Response Plan <https://online.flippingbook.com/view/857144275/56/> by July of 2022. This timing aligns well with the NCUC’s stakeholder input process.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: There are no direct financial impacts associated with the recommendation above. Duke Energy’s Carolinas Carbon Plan does, however, describe impacts to ratepayers <https://desitecoreprod-cd.azureedge.net/_/media/pdfs/our-company/carolinas-carbon-plan/overview-summary.pdf?la=en&rev=7ab0066f5b534ae59e2b39bf2e5a6917> across the four proposed portfolio options (see page 2 of linked document). The average annual retail bill impact will be limited over the next two years and ranges from 1.9% to 2.5% through 2035. The utility describes a balance of sustainability, affordability, and reliability as being central to their work in developing the options within the plan.
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Attachments: |
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• Resolution |
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• Staff Report |
A RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES COMMISSION CONCERNING DUKE ENERGY’S CAROLINAS CARBON PLAN (2021-06-15/R-6)
WHEREAS, on June 12, 2017, the Town Council adopted a resolution to proportionally uphold the commitment made by the United States in the Paris Agreement by reducing emissions by 26-28% by 2025; and
WHEREAS, on September 25, 2019, the Town Council adopted a resolution to be a 100% clean, renewable energy community by 2050 and to create a Climate Action and Response Plan to begin transitioning to this new clean energy goal; and
WHEREAS, on April 7, 2021, the Town Council adopted a Climate Action and Response Plan and passed a resolution declaring a climate emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill’s Climate Action and Response Plan identifies key carbon emissions reduction action categories like greening the grid, green building retrofits, electric vehicles, the advancement of social and racial equity through climate action; and
WHEREAS, participating in the North Carolina Utilities Commission review process is as an opportunity for the Town of Chapel Hill to join with other North Carolina communities to share our adopted climate action goals and communicate how the Duke Energy Carolinas Carbon Plan can best support them.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council supports a joint letter with other North Carolina local governments to submit public comments to the North Carolina Utilities Commission concerning Duke Energy’s Carolinas Carbon Plan.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the letter would be signed by the Mayor and may include but not be limited to what degree the Carolinas Carbon Plan:
• supports our local climate action goals for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and clean, renewable energy
• addresses energy burden and affordability
• addresses health impacts from power generation and climate change
• addresses upstream emissions (e.g., methane leaks from natural gas production and distribution)
• accelerates coal power plan retirements
• supports all-source procurement, ensuring that customers receive the best energy solutions the market can offer by increasing competition among suppliers
• creates customer programs that support low-income residents, improve affordability, incentivize impactful energy efficiency measures, and enable electric vehicle adoption
• expands the offerings for utility-scale and distributed (small-scale) solar installations and investments
• accelerates and streamlines the renewable energy grid interconnection process
• accurately projects and accounts for the market penetration of electric vehicles over time
This the 15th day of June, 2022.
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The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
presenter
By adopting the resolution, the Council supports a joint letter with other North Carolina local governments to submit public comments to the North Carolina Utilities Commission concerning Duke Energy’s Carolinas Carbon Plan.