Act Now to Oppose Changes to HB589

NCSEA Statement: HB589 Changes
NCSEA is very disappointed that the NC Senate added an unnecessary, 4-year wind energy moratorium and other anti-solar provisions to House Bill 589, “Competitive Energy Solutions for North Carolina”. The original version of HB589, which was the result of nearly one year of negotiations and compromise among energy stakeholders and customers, received overwhelming bipartisan support in the NC House three weeks ago. Unfortunately, the wind moratorium and other negative changes, which were rushed through a Senate Committee last night with no debate nor allowing comments from public speakers, would undermine not only this collaborative stakeholder process, but more importantly, our state’s thriving clean energy economy which is benefiting all North Carolinians. NCSEA strongly opposes the Senate’s version of House Bill 589, and we call on all Senators to abandon these reckless and short-sighted changes in favor of passing the bill in its original form.

– Ivan Urlaub, NCSEA Executive Director

Last night, without debate or comments from the public, the NC Senate significantly altered the compromise legislation that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. NCSEA is now opposed to HB589, and we are calling on you to contact Senators and ask them to do the same. The bill will be heard again in the Senate Rules committee at 10 am today.

In summary, the new version:

• Bans the development of wind energy in North Carolina for 4 years, without grandfathering two projects that have already spent millions and have been in development for 3 years.
• Dramatically reduces the number of MW utilities are required to procure through competitive procurement.
• Requires cumbersome and unnecessary financial assurance requirements for solar facilities that no other state requires.
• Prevents Duke Energy from competitively procuring more solar energy through an additional RFP, effectively adding a solar moratorium to the bill.

Please contact the Senators listed below NOW and ask them to vote NO on the current version of HB589. Explain that the changes the Senate made to the bill yesterday without debate are unnecessary and harmful for ratepayers and job creators across the state.

Click here for the updated PCS featuring new language.