Trump Administration Doubles Down on Coal Power in North Carolina
Key takeaways
- June 5, 2026 Share This Article Republish Duke Energy’s coal-fired Roxboro plant sits on the shores of Hyco Lake in Person County.
- The Roxboro plant in Person County is one of 13 projects nationwide expected to receive grant funding from the U.S.
- The utility will negotiate the terms of the grant with the agency over the next six months, according to the agreement, with an implementation date between 2027 to 2029.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
June 5, 2026 Share This Article Republish Duke Energy’s coal-fired Roxboro plant sits on the shores of Hyco Lake in Person County. Credit: Lisa Sorg/Inside Climate News Related Environmentalists Turn Out in Force to Oppose Trump Coal Ash Rollbacks Duke Energy Received Tax Breaks on Its Three N.C. Data Centers Unpacking Trump’s Use of Emergency Powers to Prop Up Coal Share This Article Republish Most Popular An Iowa Town Spent $800,000 on a New Well. It Pumps Undrinkable Water. Colorado River Faces ‘Devastating Consequences’ If Another Dry Winter Lands, Experts Warn DOE Restarts Home Efficiency Rebates, and Electrification Is the Biggest Loser Duke Energy could receive $28.4 million in taxpayer money to upgrade two coal-fired power units in Person County, North Carolina, where residents are already contending with the construction of new natural gas plants, a pipeline and a proposed Microsoft data center.
The Roxboro plant in Person County is one of 13 projects nationwide expected to receive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The agency is invoking the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to fund the projects as critical to natural security, in the latest push by the Trump administration to boost the climate-damaging fossil fuel.
The utility will negotiate the terms of the grant with the agency over the next six months, according to the agreement, with an implementation date between 2027 to 2029. Duke is matching the federal money with $44 million in ratepayer funds.