Ohioans fund coal plants while Duke Energy knew the climate risks
Ohio ratepayers are subsidizing aging coal plants while Duke Energy, a major shareholder, long knew coal burning contributed to climate change.
Marty Schladen reports for Ohio Capital Journal.
In short:
- Ohio’s House Bill 6 forces ratepayers to subsidize two polluting coal plants, with over $400 million paid so far.
- A new report shows Duke Energy knew for decades that burning coal drives global warming but spread disinformation to obscure the risks.
- Despite acknowledging climate change now, Duke still works to block competition from renewable energy sources.
Key quote:
“The company doesn’t plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions until 2050, by which time the climate crisis could cause an additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide.”
— Energy and Policy Institute report
Why this matters:
Coal plants funded by ratepayers accelerate climate change, worsening storms and environmental damage. Utilities’ past efforts to delay climate action have prolonged reliance on fossil fuels, increasing pollution and costs for future generations.
Read more: North Carolina town takes utility giant to court over climate inaction
