Duke Energy plans to expand coal plants, environmentalists say no

Duke Energy (DUK) of North Carolina plans to spread out its’ coal plant in Cliffside closer to Charlotte.  Such an increase would mean that the 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide the site produces a year would jump to 9.7 million tons per year.

Environmentalists are in a frenzy trying to stop it from happening.  On Monday, Jim Rogers, chairman of Duke, received eleven letters for environmental groups warning him of the harmful effects a coal-fired plant would have on the environment. 

Burning coal produces harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide that directly contributes to global warming.  It causes several health problems ranging from a shortness of breath to lung inflammation for the people in the communities surrounding them.  Constant exposure to the toxins released from a coal-fired plant can also prove to be fatal.

Duke claims that the larger size would be environmentally friendly since it would allow them to get rid of older boilers and replace them with newer ones, thus significantly lowering the production of harmful gases.

The choice will be made by the Division of Air Quality who says they will not allow any more degradation to the area’s current air quality.