North Carolina AG Secured Settlement with Duke Energy over Coal Ash Cleanup Costs

JANUARY 25, 2021

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, together with the Public Staff of the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Sierra Club, secured a settlement with Duke Energy over the costs of cleaning up coal ash pollution discharged into the state’s waterways from storage ponds near the company’s power plants. The settlement came in litigation brought by AG Stein challenging the Utilities Commission’s approval of a rate increase that would have passed effectively the entire burden of cleanup costs onto Duke Energy’s customers. The settlement is expected to save customers an estimated $1.1 billion over 10 years.

On August 18, 2021, AG Stein announced that Duke Energy customers will see approximately $215 million more in future energy savings in addition to the savings contained in his January settlement with the company. The additional savings were the result of Duke Energy’s settlements with insurance companies over coal ash coverage policies.