August 22, 2024

RALEIGH – On Wednesday evening, the John Locke Foundation is honored to accept the Bob Williams Award for Outstanding Policy Achievement, in the Most Influential Research category, at the State Policy Network 32nd Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. Locke’s winning Energy Crossroads report tackled the key issues of energy policy that are often overlooked by regulators: reliability and affordability. 

Key findings of ‘Energy Crossroads’ include: 

  • North Carolina’s emissions are already on a downward trend, primarily due to nuclear energy and a shift toward natural gas. 
  • Gov. Cooper’s proposed energy plan would require over $100 billion and significantly increase electricity bills, according to Duke Energy’s modeling. 
  • Alternatives such as expanded natural gas and nuclear energy are more cost-effective and practical for reducing emissions. 
  • Utilizing U.S. and Korean nuclear technologies could achieve emissions targets at much lower costs than the proposed renewable-heavy approach. 
  • Wind, solar, and battery storage carry substantial environmental and land-use risks, making nuclear and natural gas more efficient and reliable options.

“In a time where households have recently faced rolling blackouts and an estimated 16% of American households experience energy poverty, decisionmakers need to focus on cost-effective, consistent sources of energy,” said Donald Bryson, CEO of the John Locke Foundation. “This project highlighted exactly what needed to be done to protect North Carolinians from an unstable, unaffordable energy future.” 

The impact of Locke’s research translated into tangible victories for North Carolina ratepayers. Locke’s research contributed to: 

  • “Energy Solutions for North Carolina” (HB 951) was passed into law 
  • Duke Energy abandoned its initial plan to overly rely on renewables like wind and solar, and they are instead laying the groundwork for more nuclear and retiring coal plants at a responsible and sustainable rate. 
  • The norms around what constitutes “good energy policy” have dramatically shifted and affordable, reliable alternatives, such as nuclear and natural gas are key parts of the conversation. 

The result is that we are now well on our way to a more affordable, reliable energy future, setting a responsible carbon reduction standard for other states to follow.  

Of Locke’s critical research, Sen. Paul Newton, NC Senate Majority Leader and member of the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee, who was pivotal to the passage of HB 951, said: 

“The Energy Crossroads policy analysis was a bit like divine intervention. It gave a data-driven answer that was extraordinarily helpful for selling a common-sense path towards carbon reduction for North Carolinians that neither broke the economy nor the poor.” 

Former General Assembly policy advisor and John Locke Foundation visiting fellow” André Beliveau, who worked directly on HB 951 said: 

“Without Locke’s Energy Crossroads Report, HB 951, which requires the NC Utilities Commission to select the least-cost, most reliable energy plan, would not have been possible. The Energy Crossroads Report was the foundational source we used to frame discussions and craft legislation. Later, the Report was the impetus for additional energy reforms, such as adding nuclear to the definition of reliable energy sources.” 

Following the release of Energy Crossroad, Duke Energy shifted its strategy, laying the groundwork for more nuclear energy and retiring coal plants at a sustainable pace. With the passage of ‘Energy Solutions for North Carolina’ (HB 951) into law, North Carolinians can rest easier knowing they will be able to keep their lights on and heat their homes in the winter. 

Read the report here.