Sponsors Defend NC Energy Bill Goals While Cooper Pans It

Negotiators of a wide-ranging North Carolina energy bill to retire Duke Energy coal-fired electricity plants, expand solar power production but keep nuclear defended the measure’s goals as it got its first hearing. A House committee began scrutinizing the Republican measure on Thursday just after Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper came out against it. He told lawmakers in a statement to “go back to the drawing board.” Bill sponsor Rep. Dean Arp told collagues the measure embraces an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy that also includes natural gas. Others say it relies too much on fossil fuels. The committee took no votes.