North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina S261: Energy Security and Affordability Act.
Status: In committee, March 18, 2025
What the bill says
An act to eliminate the interim date for carbon reduction by certain electric public utilities and to allow an alternative cost recovery mechanism for construction work in progress for baseload electric generating facilities.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ELIMINATE THE INTERIM DATE FOR CARBON REDUCTION BY CERTAIN ELECTRIC PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TO ALLOW AN ALTERNATIVE COST RECOVERY MECHANISM FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK IN PROGRESS FOR BASELOAD ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITIES. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 62-110.9 reads as rewritten: "§ 62-110.9. Requirements concerning reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide from electric public utilities. The Utilities Commission shall take all reasonable steps to achieve a seventy percent (70%) reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in the State from electric generating facilities owned or operated by electric public utilities from 2005 levels by the year 2030 and that result in carbon neutrality by the year 2050. For purposes of this section, (i) "electric public utility" means any electric public utility as defined in G.S. 62-3(23) serving at least 150,000 North Carolina retail jurisdictional customers as of January 1, 2021, and (ii) "carbon neutrality" means for every ton of CO2 emitted in the State from electric generating facilities owned or operated by or on behalf of electric public utilities, an equivalent amount of CO2 is reduced, removed, prevented, or offset, provided that the offsets are verifiable and do not exceed five percent (5%) of the authorized reduction goal. In achieving the authorized carbon reduction goals, goal, the Utilities …
Sponsors
- Berger, Phil (R, 26) · primary sponsor
- Newton, Paul (R, 34) · primary sponsor
- Barnes, Lisa S. (R, 11) · primary sponsor
- Alexander, W. Ted (R, 44)
- Brinson, Bob (R, 3)
- Burgin, Jim (R, 12)
- Craven, David W. (R, 29)
- Daniel, Warren (R, 46)
- Ford, Carl (R, 33)
- Galey, Amy S. (R, 25)
- Hise, Ralph (R, 47)
- Hollo, Mark (R, 45)
Latest actions
- : Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- : Passed 1st Reading
- : Regular Message Received From Senate
- : Regular Message Sent To House
- : Passed 3rd Reading
- : Passed 2nd Reading
- : Reptd Fav
- : Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- : Reptd Fav
- : Ref to Agriculture, Energy, and Environment. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
Votes
- Energy Security and Affordability Act. Second Reading (March 13, 2025): 31 yea, 12 nay, passed
Subjects: INFRASTRUCTURE, CONSERVATION, ELECTRICITY GENERATION & DISTRIBUTION, COMMERCE, UTILITIES, PUBLIC, COMMISSIONS, ENVIRONMENT
Common questions
- What is S261?
- S261 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): Energy Security and Affordability Act.
- What does S261 do?
- In its own words: An act to eliminate the interim date for carbon reduction by certain electric public utilities and to allow an alternative cost recovery mechanism for construction work in progress for baseload electric generating facilities.
- What is the status of S261?
- In committee as of March 18, 2025. Latest action: Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (March 18, 2025).
- Who sponsored S261?
- Berger, Phil (R, 26), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S261?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S261
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.