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Economic Development

Dominion, Trump aides battle over wind project

A federal judge has delayed until mid-January a hearing on Dominion Energy’s request that he block a Trump administration stop-work order targeting the utility’s $11.2 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. U.S. District Court Judge Jamar Walker’s ruling came at the administration’s urging, and he’s already rejected Dominion’s request that...

By Ray Gronberg

December 30, 2025

Feds bar imports of new-model drones

Here in the Triangle, we’ve been watching DJI-made drones disappear from the shelves of Best Buy and other consumer-electronics stores amid rumors of an upcoming federal ban. Store managers replaced them with variously-branded knockoffs, which like DJI’s are likely made in China or other Asian countries. But even that strategy...

By Ray Gronberg

December 24, 2025

US suspends active offshore wind leases; Dominion warns of threat to jobs

The Trump administration has ordered a suspension of work on five offshore wind energy projects, including Dominion Energy’s $11.2 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind development. U.S. Department of the Interior officials announced Monday morning that they’d “paused” federal leases for the projects. They cited as the reason “emerging national security...

By Ray Gronberg

December 23, 2025

Solar or nukes? Duke critics question priorities

Duke Energy’s long-range development plans are underselling solar power and overselling the prospects of building more nuclear reactors, critics of the utility say. The argument comes from Sam Grote and Jim Warren, who lead the N.C. Business Impact Forum and NC WARN, respectively. Grote contends that Duke’s proposed Carolinas Resource Plan...

By Ray Gronberg

December 19, 2025

Infrastructure help on way for Chimney Rock, other mountain towns

Chimney Rock is getting nearly $11.9 million in aid for water and sewer infrastructure as it continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, Gov. Josh Stein’s office says. The awards — federal disaster relief money channeled through the state government — are part of a broader package totaling about $280 million....

By Ray Gronberg

December 12, 2025

No right to repair in defense bill

Multiple reports indicate that Congress has dropped the idea of adopting subjecting military contractors to a “right to repair” law via an upcoming defense-spending bill. Star & Stripes, the Federal News Network, Wired and The Intercept all reported that language implementing the concept got stripped from the National Defense Authorization...

By Ray Gronberg

December 12, 2025

Fiscal Research sees a cloudy economic picture

Legislative staffers are expecting pretty much all the state’s key economic indicators to slow in fiscal 2026-27 — just in time for next year’s mid-term elections. Their reckoning, based on numbers obtained from Moody’s Analytics, is that the average unemployment rate in North Carolina for the upcoming fiscal year will increase...

By Ray Gronberg

December 10, 2025

Boom finds AI customer for its engine tech

The jet engines Boom Supersonic’s designing for the airliners it wants to build in Greensboro may wind up powering data centers first. Boom announced Tuesday that it’s gotten an order from San Francisco-based Crusoe Inc. for 29 “Superpower” turbines for use in AI data centers. Crusoe has projects in store...

By Ray Gronberg

December 10, 2025

Tillis: Highlight the business case for renewables

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, of course, was on hand for Monday’s Clean Energy Champions luncheon not so much to talk about his future but to discuss the uncertain times facing renewable energy technology. He counseled pragmatism and a strong, business-oriented focus. Doing the “right thing” in the sector, by itself,...

By Ray Gronberg

December 9, 2025

Lumbee recognition in pending defense bill

U.S. House members are going to try to pass the long-awaited Lumbee recognition bill by incorporating it into an omnibus defense-spending bill. The move is already drawing criticism from the leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Their principal chief, Michell Hicks, said the bill is “not the appropriate...

By Ray Gronberg

December 9, 2025

Farmers, biz groups complete Clean Energy awards

Another of the Clean Energy Champions awards announced Monday went to Martin County farmers Ken and Johna Gurganus, in part for their efforts year to oppose House Bill 729. This was a proposal from state Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin, and senior chairman of House Agriculture and Environment, that in its first...

By Ray Gronberg

December 9, 2025

Hall, Gable honored for power-transmission bill

State Reps. Kyle Hall and Wyatt Gable received two of the “Clean Energy Champions” awards handed out Monday by Conservatives for Clean Energy’s North Carolina chapter, largely for a bill that addresses power-grid planning. Their proposal, House Bill 814, didn’t make it out of committee during this year’s long session,...

By Ray Gronberg

December 9, 2025

USDOJ opposing Duke Energy antitrust appeal

Trump administration officials are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to shelve Duke Energy’s appeal of a lower-court ruling that went against it in an antitrust case. The case “arises out of a campaign by an established monopolist” — i.e. Duke — “to stop a more efficient rival from disturbing its...

By Ray Gronberg

December 5, 2025

Length of Duke’s two-year rate plan draws questions, opposition

Duke Energy’s latest rate-increase request is already getting pushback from industry interests. Via a Nov. 26 filing, the Carolina Industrial Group for Fair Utility Rates is urging the N.C. Utilities Commission to send Duke back to the drawing board because its proposed multi-year rate plan only spans two years. State...

By Ray Gronberg

December 5, 2025

Duke facing big bills for nuke upkeep

Duke Energy envisions spending nearly $771.0 million on renovations and upgrades to its fleet of nuclear reactors over the next couple of years, its recent rate-increase filing indicates. The work targets all six of its nuclear power stations in the Carolinas, with much of it focusing on replacing equipment or...

By Ray Gronberg

December 5, 2025