NC S716

Direct the North Carolina Utilities Commission to issue an expedited decision within 45 days on applications for natural gas-fired generating facilities at the Asheville Steam Electric Generating Plant in Buncombe County, provided certain conditions are met.

Require public utilities to provide 30 days' notice before filing expedited certificate applications and submit detailed construction cost estimates to the Commission.

Exempt expedited applications from certain procedural requirements under G.S. 62-110.1(e) and G.S. 62-82(a), while requiring a single public hearing with notice published in Buncombe County newspapers.

Limit expedited certificates to facilities with generation capacity no greater than twice that of coal-fired units being retired, contingent on permanent closure of all coal-fired units at the site before or upon the new facility's commercial operation.

Extend the coal ash surface impoundment closure deadline at the Asheville Steam Electric Generating Plant from August 1, 2019 to August 1, 2022, and waive certain closure requirements if Duke Energy Progress ceases all coal operations by January 31, 2020 and obtains the natural gas facility certificate by August 1, 2016.