Latest Intelligence Update 2026-09-21 | Tracking permits, utility hearings, county moratoriums, water risk, and EV infrastructure signals across North Carolina.
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Richmond County's Hearing Closes as North Carolina's Ratepayer Fight Sharpens

Richmond County's July 30 public hearing on the Amazon and Duke Energy diesel-engine permits closed out a month defined by permit calendars and utility accountability. Local reporting said residents asked NC DEQ to deny both the 588-engine Amazon backup permit and Duke's 57-engine bridge-power modification; the comment window closed July 31 and a DAQ determination remains pending. In parallel, Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Governor Stein called for Duke's federal ratepayer pledge to become an enforceable NCUC tariff, and North Carolina's county and municipal data-center moratorium count has climbed past 30.

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Summary

Richmond County's July 30 public hearing on the Amazon and Duke Energy diesel-engine permits closed out a month defined by permit calendars and utility accountability. Local reporting said residents asked NC DEQ to deny both the 588-engine Amazon backup permit and Duke's 57-engine bridge-power modification; the comment window closed July 31 and a DAQ determination remains pending. In parallel, Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Governor Stein called for Duke's federal ratepayer pledge to become an enforceable NCUC tariff, and North Carolina's county and municipal data-center moratorium count has climbed past 30.

Date
Category
Atlas Pulse
Status
Active Monitoring
Priority
High
Last Updated

Key Signals

  • NC DEQ's Division of Air Quality held the joint Amazon Data Services and Duke Energy Progress public hearing July 30 at the Old Richmond County Courthouse in Rockingham. The Richmond Observer reported that several Richmond County residents and people from outside the community asked DAQ to deny the applications over pollution concerns.
  • The permits cover two related but distinct requests: Duke Energy Progress modifying its permit for 57 diesel-fired bridge-power engines, to be retired within one year of operation, and Amazon's new permit for 588 diesel-fired emergency backup engines that remain on site after bridge power retires, roughly 645 generators total.
  • Public comment on both permits closed July 31, 2026. DAQ's public facility materials do not list a final determination; the Division of Air Quality must consider the comments before making a final decision.
  • On July 23, Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Governor Josh Stein called on Duke Energy to make its federal Ratepayer Protection Pledge legally enforceable in North Carolina through an NCUC-approved large-load tariff or rate class for data centers, rather than leaving it a voluntary federal commitment.
  • Duke Energy Carolinas' July settlement would reduce its residential increase to 9.5% over two years, pending NCUC approval. Duke Energy Progress reached its own Public Staff settlement August 5, also pending NCUC approval, with an average annual increase of 3.4% over two years.
  • Multiple outlets reported North Carolina's county and municipal data-center moratorium count has passed 30 local governments since roughly February 2026, spanning cities, towns, and counties statewide.

Opportunities

  • Track DAQ's forthcoming determination on the Richmond County permits as the next concrete checkpoint, rather than treating the July 30 hearing itself as an outcome.
  • Use the Attorney General's tariff push to gauge whether North Carolina moves toward a standardized large-load rate class, which would materially change how utility-readiness questions are answered statewide.
  • Distinguish the Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress settlement terms and NCUC outcomes when advising on Richmond County or other DEP-territory utility questions.

Risks

  • A DAQ hearing and a closed comment period are not a permit decision; do not describe the Amazon or Duke bridge-power permits as approved, denied, or final.
  • Both Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress settlements remain pending NCUC approval; do not describe either rate case as final.
  • The Attorney General's tariff request is a public call to action, not an NCUC ruling or a binding Duke commitment.
  • Moratorium counts vary by source and by whether cities, towns, and counties are combined; cite the range rather than asserting one precise figure.

Recommended Actions

  • Monitor DAQ's Richmond County permit determination and NCUC review of both Duke rate-case settlements as the clearest near-term decision points.
  • Track whether Duke Energy Progress's approved terms and any large-load tariff process create DEP-specific implications, since Richmond County utility readiness depends on DEP specifically.
  • Continue to hold Richmond County language to hearing-stage caution until DAQ issues a determination.

Public Sources