This past Saturday 150 activists skipped the fair and instead marched in downtown Raleigh. Their goal? Asking Governor Perdue to halt construction of Duke Energy’s Cliffside coal-fired power plant in Rutherford County.
Opponents argue that if Governor Perdue would enforce the Clean Air Act it would prevent the facility from qualifying for a permit renewal because the upgraded faciltiy would not do enough to limit carbon emissions, essentially crippling and closing the plant. Earlier efforts include House Bill 811/Senate Bill 1044 calling for a “Moratorium on Coal-Fired Plants,” sponsored by Reps. Harrison, Luebke and Fisher, and Sen. Kinnard in the name of economic relief and renewable energy.
However, supporters continue to argue that significant upgrades have been and will continue to be made to the facility. Construction began in 2007 after the State’s Utility Commission determined this plant would be the most cost effective way for Duke Energy to provide power. The plant has a current capacity of 760 megawatts, or roughly enough power for 125,o00 homes.
Once again, it seems people are letting trendy “green” determine their opinion, rather than looking at real cost to the consumers.
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