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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: May 21, 2024 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-f <br /> SUBJECT: Comment Letter Addressing Duke Energy's Proposed Carbon Plan Integrated <br /> Resource Plan Submitted to the North Carolina Utilities Commission <br /> DEPARTMENT: County Manager's Office <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1. Draft CPIRP Letter Amy Eckberg, Sustainability Programs <br /> Manager, 919-245-2626 <br /> PURPOSE: To join regional local government partners as a signatory to a joint comment letter <br /> addressing Duke Energy's proposed Carbon Plan Integrated Resource Plan (CPIRP), which <br /> was submitted to the North Carolina Utilities Commission on August 17, 2023. <br /> BACKGROUND: Legislative mandates outlined in House Bill 951 directs the North Carolina <br /> Utilities Commission (NCUC) to develop the Carbon Plan, which sets emission reduction targets <br /> of 70% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. This Carbon Plan was integrated into the <br /> Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process, resulting in the CPIRP. The Plan's implications for <br /> local governments and communities in achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and <br /> renewable energy objectives are substantial. <br /> Orange County's recent adoption of its inaugural Climate Action Plan (CAP) signifies a robust <br /> commitment to significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions— 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 <br /> — along with the County's 2017 adopted resolution to transition to 100% renewable energy by <br /> 2050. Action BE 2.1.3 of the CAP underscores the importance of actively engaging in utility <br /> programs and legislative proposals to ensure alignment with the County's climate action goals. <br /> Collaborative efforts with neighboring municipalities and the Southeast Sustainability Director's <br /> Network (SSDN) have culminated in a joint letter urging the NCUC to craft a CPIRP that <br /> accelerates GHG reduction measures, expands energy efficiency (EE) and demand-side <br /> management programs, accelerates renewable energy integration, and fosters equitable access <br /> to clean energy resources. <br /> Orange County's history of collaborative engagement includes joining eleven (11) other local <br /> governments in a joint comment letter in 2021 concerning Duke Energy's Biennial Integrated <br /> Resource Plan (IRP). This collective effort with regional local governments creates unified <br /> advocacy towards advancing the individual and collective renewable energy initiatives and GHG <br /> reduction targets while also creating equitable energy access for residents. <br /> The CPIRP comment letter presents an opportunity for local governments to collectively engage <br /> with the NCUC, Duke Energy, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with community goals <br />