Assertion Supported AI assessment confidence: 95% certainty 4/5 debate potential 3/5

Solomon: Duke Energy plans nearly 9 GW of new gas plants

Michelle Solomon · Energy is now the ‘primary bottleneck’ for AI · May 21, 2024 · at 8:21

Michelle Solomon of Energy Innovation critiques southeastern utilities for responding to demand growth with large fossil fuel expansion.

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“Duke Energy, for instance, they include plans for nearly nine gigawatts of new gas and almost seven of those are, they're proposed as combined cycle power plants that are designed to run a high percentage of the time, not designed to meet new peaks in demand.”

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