David Boraks
WFAE
9, Deweese, NC, United States
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Past articles by David:
Removing a century-old dam would restore species and reconnect communities, but will it be funded?
For nearly a century, the Ela Dam in the North Carolina mountains has provided electricity but also altered wildlife habitats and disconnected the community. Land conservation and environmental groups have joined the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in an ambitious plan to remove the aging dam. But that hinges on getting millions of dollars in federal funding. → Read More
Electric vehicle registrations grew 54% in NC last year, but still account for tiny share of cars
The number of electric vehicles on North Carolina roads increased 54% in 2022, but EVs still make up a tiny fraction of all vehicles. The governor's office says accelerating sales will help meet the state's goal. → Read More
Duke Energy plans gas plants as it moves away from coal, but critics see higher cost and emissions
Three years ago, Duke Energy opened its newest natural gas-fired power plant in Asheville, on the site of an old coal-fired plant. Duke wants to build more gas plants around North Carolina as part of its plan to reduce the heat-trapping pollution that comes from electricity generation. But the idea has plenty of critics. → Read More
Duke Energy reports a loss, announces $300M in cost cuts, including layoffs
Duke Energy reported a $531 million loss for the fourth quarter as it wrote down the value of its commercial renewable energy business that's up for sale. The Charlotte-based company also announced plans to cut $300 million in expenses this year, including through layoffs mainly in Charlotte. → Read More
Charlotte city council agrees to 25% price hike for solar farm
The Charlotte City Council voted Monday in favor of amending the city's contract to buy electricity from a planned solar farm in Iredell County and absorb a 25% fee increase. The council also approved an economic development grant for a new lithium research center in northeast Charlotte. → Read More
Earth kept warming last year, continuing a 40-year trend
Federal climate scientists say the global average temperature last year was the sixth highest on record. The past nine years have been the warmest since 1880 and the long-term trend tells the same story. → Read More
Dare County manager tells Rodanthe residents there's no money to rebuild their beach
Residents on a stretch of North Carolina's Outer Banks where houses fell into the ocean last year want a beach replenishment project to protect additional homes and prevent flooding. But at a public meeting in Rodanthe Wednesday night, Dare County officials said there's no way to pay for it. → Read More
Hurricane Ian and other disasters made 2022 one of the most costly years
Billion-dollar disasters caused by extreme weather and climate change rose across the U.S. in 2022, making it the third-worst year on record, according to a federal report out Tuesday. The biggest was Hurricane Ian, which devastated Florida and eroded beaches in the Carolinas in September. → Read More
North Carolina hopes to adopt electric truck rules by year's end
The rules would apply to any truck over 6,001 pounds — basically, pickups up to tractor-trailers. Sales targets would vary by size, between seven classes, with the goal of eventually 40%-75% of trucks sold in the state being zero-emission vehicles. → Read More
'We own what happened': Duke Energy officials say forecasting errors, malfunctions led to blackouts
Duke Energy officials told state regulators Tuesday that their computer models underestimated power demand by 6% to 10% during frigid weather on Christmas Eve. That and a shortage of electricity from power plants, contributed to the need for rolling blackouts across North Carolina at a time when temperatures dipped into the single digits. → Read More
Piedmont Lithium's deal with Tesla is still on — with revisions
Piedmont Lithium says it has amended a previously announced contract with electric vehicle maker Tesla to supply lithium beginning later this year. → Read More
Q&A: NC regulators back Duke's 'all of the above' carbon plan
North Carolina's 2021 energy reform law called on state regulators to adopt a plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants to fight climate change. Last Friday, after months of filings and hearings, the North Carolina Utilities Commission issued a 137-page order. It largely accepted the recommendations of Duke Energy, the state's main power producer. WFAE climate reporter David Boraks talks… → Read More
Will NC join California in cutting payments to rooftop solar owners?
California utility regulators last week adopted new rules sought by utility companies that reduce what rooftop solar owners get paid for electricity they send back to the grid. Will North Carolina be next? → Read More
How should NC shift to electric trucks? DEQ wants to know
Public meetings are planned around the state in the coming weeks to help state environmental officials draft rules to promote a shift to electric trucks. → Read More
Buyers plan apartments, shops at two former Duke Energy buildings uptown
Duke Energy completed the sale of two properties in uptown Charlotte last week as it prepares to consolidate office space at its new headquarters tower on South Tryon Street. Redevelopment plans for the two buildings include apartments, shops and offices. → Read More
Battery component maker plans $3.5B campus near Charleston
Redwood Materials, a Nevada company that makes electric vehicle battery components, says it will build a $3.5 billion campus near Charleston, South Carolina. State officials say it's the largest economic development investment in South Carolina's history. → Read More
Few answers in Moore County more than a week after substation attacks
Ten days after two electrical substations in central North Carolina were knocked out by gunfire, there are still more questions than answers about the incident. The outage left about 45,000 customers without power, some for as long as five days → Read More
Albemarle plans $200M lithium research center in Charlotte
Charlotte-based chemicals supplier Albemarle Corp. plans a $200 million lithium research center in Charlotte's University Research Park. The company says the center will create 200 jobs and support the fast-growing market for lithium and electric vehicle batteries. → Read More
Gov. Cooper says Moore County attack signals a 'new threat level'
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says he wants utilities to ramp up electric grid security following Saturday’s gunfire attack on two electrical substations in Moore County that knocked out power to about 45,000 customers. → Read More
Moore County attack shows U.S. electric grid's Achilles' heel
Authorities say it's still too early to say who fired gunshots into a pair of Duke Energy substations in central North Carolina, or why. But experts say the attack is a warning sign of the electric grid's vulnerability to people with bad intentions. → Read More