DEQ Orders Duke Energy to Excavate Coal Ash at Six Remaining Sites

[TexasTowelie]

1. NC House Democrats file bills to block Duke from passing coal ash costs to consumers

N.C. House Democrats have moved to block Duke Energy from billing customers for billions of dollars to clean up its coal ash ponds — a task that grew dramatically more expensive this week.

The state environment agency ordered Duke on Monday to dig up and remove ash at six power plants, including two on lakes Norman and Wylie. Excavation is much more expensive than Duke’s preferred option of leaving the ash in place and covering it.

Duke estimates that the order would add $4 billion to $5 billion to the $5.6 billion it had expected to spend to close its ash ponds in the Carolinas.

Who should pay those costs — Duke or its customers — has hung over ash disposal since it burst into public consciousness with a 2014 spill into North Carolina and Virginia’s Dan River.

Read more: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article228874829.html