Energy

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 14, 2025

HB 922: North Carolina Consumer Protection Act.

HB 922 revises definitions in North Carolina's public utility law to protect ratepayers from unreasonable fees charged by utilities. It specifically clarifies terms like "advertising" (excluding safety messages or mandated public notices), "clean energy facility," and "energy efficiency measure" to ensure utilities cannot charge customers for non-essential promotional activities or misrepresent energy sources. The bill directly affects all electricity, gas, and water utilities operating in North Carolina and their customers, requiring them to comply with these updated definitions when calculating rates. Key provisions include banning utilities from including certain marketing costs in rate base calculations and defining measurable energy efficiency improvements. This focuses on transparency in billing rather than creating new fee structures.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyClarifies 'clean energy facility' and 'energy efficiency measure' to prevent utilities from charging for non-essential activities, protecting consumers and promoting clean energy transparency.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Utility Regulation Tags Consumer Protection

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 2, 2025

HB 638: Equitable Escalation of Electricity Demand Act.

HB 638 requires new data centers and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to pay fees covering the cost of additional reliable power needed to support their electricity demand. Specifically, it mandates fees on new EV/PHEV charging stations and EVs sold in North Carolina, with funds dedicated solely to building new dispatchable power sources (like natural gas or coal plants) instead of raising all customers' bills. Data centers must either contract directly with utilities for new power or face recoupment of state incentives if they fail to secure it. The law aims to prevent grid strain by ensuring those driving new demand - data centers and EV users - bear the cost of infrastructure upgrades.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes targeted fees on new data centers/EV infrastructure to fund power sources, avoiding general tax increases. Directly establishes new tax mechanism for budget allocation.90% confidence ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill mandates fees funding natural gas/coal plants instead of renewables, explicitly favoring fossil fuels over clean energy infrastructure development.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentFunds fossil fuel power plants (coal/natural gas) instead of clean energy, contradicting environmental protection goals despite conservation subject listing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coal Electric Vehicles Oil & Gas

Track

in committee · North Carolina · House Apr 14, 2025

HB 1002: Rate Payer Protection Act.

HB 1002, the Rate Payer Protection Act, prohibits North Carolina utilities from passing grid and energy costs specifically tied to large data centers (100+ megawatt demand) to electricity ratepayers. Instead, it creates a 14-member Special Commission to plan data center infrastructure, reviewing grid capacity, recommending locations based on factors like fiber and water access, and advising on energy expansion needs. The Commission must report findings to state leaders by June 2027 and expires on that date. This directly affects ratepayers (who avoid these costs) and utilities (which must exclude data center-related expenses from rate calculations).

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyPrevents utilities from passing data center energy costs to ratepayers, protecting consumers per energy cost protection indicator.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCreates Special Commission to plan data center infrastructure, enabling expansion without burdening ratepayers, directly supporting tech infrastructure development under 'EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES'.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Utility Regulation Broadband Access

Track

passed · North Carolina · Senate Mar 18, 2025

SB 261: Energy Security and Affordability Act.

SB 261, the Energy Security and Affordability Act, removes a mandated interim timeline for carbon reduction by North Carolina's major electric utilities (those serving 150,000+ customers) and introduces an alternative cost recovery method for ongoing construction of base load power plants. The bill requires these utilities to achieve a 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and carbon neutrality by 2050, with the Utilities Commission developing a Carbon Plan by 2026 for achieving these goals. It specifies that new solar energy must come from 45% third-party power purchase agreements for small solar facilities (80 MW or less) and 55% utility-owned or purchased sources, including for solar paired with storage. This bill directly affects North Carolina's largest electric utilities and the Utilities Commission, altering their regulatory framework for emissions and infrastructure costs.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill mandates 70% CO2 reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, aligning with clean energy transition goals while requiring Utilities Commission to develop Carbon Plan.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates 70% CO2 reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, explicitly addressing environmental goals through emission targets while removing only a procedural timeline.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Solar Climate Change

Track

died · North Carolina · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 729: Farmland Protection Act.

HB 729, titled the "Farmland Protection Act," makes several changes related to solar energy development. It reduces the property tax exclusion for solar energy electric systems from 80% to 40% of their appraised value, which will increase the taxable value of these systems. The bill also prohibits the construction of new utility-scale solar projects that are not qualifying facilities under federal law, unless they are sited on specific types of land such as brownfields, non-agricultural land, or clear-cut timberland. Additionally, it updates the effective dates for requirements regarding financial assurance and decommissioning plans for utility-scale solar projects, affecting both existing and new facilities.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesReduces property tax exclusion for solar systems from 80% to 40%, increasing taxable value and tax burden. Direct tax policy change reducing tax benefits.95% confidence ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyReduces solar tax exclusion, restricts new utility-scale solar projects on farmland, directly limiting renewable energy development.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentReduces tax incentives for solar energy and restricts new utility-scale projects, hindering clean energy adoption which supports environmental protection.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Solar

Track

passed · North Carolina · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 513: Modify Rqmts. for Wind Energy Facilities.

Senate Bill 513 modifies requirements for proposed wind energy facilities in North Carolina. The bill establishes enhanced public notice rules, requiring developers to directly notify property owners within 20 miles of a proposed facility and expanding public hearing notices to include adjacent counties. It also mandates that wind energy facilities install light-mitigating technology systems. Permit applicants must seek Federal Aviation Administration approval for these systems, and the state's Department cannot issue a final permit until the FAA's decision on the technology is received. These changes directly affect wind energy developers, adjacent property owners, and the state department responsible for permit approvals.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill establishes clearer requirements for wind energy facilities, including public notice and light-mitigating tech, facilitating renewable development without restrictions.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates light-mitigating tech for wind facilities to reduce wildlife impact, aligning with environmental protection and clean energy promotion in the bill's requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Wind

Track

passed · North Carolina · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 554: Farmers Protection Act.

The Farmers Protection Act (SB 554) aims to prevent discrimination in financing against agriculture producers. It makes it unlawful for banks to deny or cancel services to farmers based on their greenhouse gas emissions, use of fossil-fuel derived fertilizer, or fossil-fuel powered machinery. If a bank has an environmental, social, or governance (ESG) commitment related to agriculture, there is a rebuttable presumption that such a denial violates the act, unless the bank proves it was solely for financial reasons. The bill requires banks to submit annual compliance reports and allows for civil penalties for violations, which are also considered an unfair or deceptive trade practice.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill prevents banks from denying services based on fossil-fuel use in agriculture, opposing ESG policies that target fossil fuel dependence in farming, thus resisting energy transition efforts.85% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentPrevents banks from applying environmental criteria (e.g., emissions, fossil fuels) in lending decisions, weakening ESG enforcement and environmental accountability in agriculture finance.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Climate Change Tags Agriculture

Track

passed both · North Carolina · Senate Jun 8, 2026

SB 730: Ratepayer Protection Act.

Senate Bill 730 proposes to expand North Carolina's Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (CEPS). The bill aims to include existing nuclear and large hydroelectric power facilities within the definition of what counts as clean energy. Specifically, it amends the definition of "New clean energy facility" to include nuclear energy facilities (including uprates) and fusion energy facilities placed into service on or after January 1, 2007. This change would allow electric power suppliers to use these sources to meet their state-mandated clean energy targets.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyExpands CEPS to include nuclear/hydro as clean energy, strengthening clean energy standards under portfolio requirements.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentExpands CEPS to include nuclear/hydro as clean energy, promoting low-carbon power sources to advance environmental protection and reduce emissions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hydroelectric Nuclear Renewable Energy

Track