FERC to decide Mooresville, Duke water battle

MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA - A federal agency will try to resolve Duke Energy's dispute with Mooresville over the town's water intake on Lake Norman.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will have to step in because the town and Duke failed to settle their differences in mediation with U.S. District Court Judge Frank Bullock.

John Whittaker, a lawyer for Duke Energy, provided the update in a July 10 letter to Kimberly Bose, secretary of the commission in Washington. Duke sued Mooresville to stop construction on its existing water intake. The company says the town needs permission from Duke and from the commission to do the work because Duke manages Lake Norman through its hydroelectric license.

Town officials have said the water belongs to citizens, not a for-profit company, and that it has the right to change a water intake on town-owned property.

The intake pumps water out of the lake for drinking water and other uses Mooresville and Duke were originally working toward a new town water intake at another spot, for which Duke sought permission from the commission. The town then decided to upgrade its existing intake, saying permission from Duke or the commission wasn't needed because the town was using its own land.

U.S. Chief District Judge Graham Mullen had asked the federal agency to "participate" in the case if mediation failed, Whittaker's letter said. Mullen will order the agency to get involved if it doesn't do so voluntarily, the letter said.

FERC spokeswoman Barbara Connors said the agency received Whittaker's letter, but that it would await notice from Mullen before proceeding.

Related News

uk power lines

UK Electricity prices hit 10-year high as cheap wind power wanes

LONDON - The UK’s electricity market has followed the lead of surging wholesale gas prices this week to reach weekend highs not seen in a decade.

The power market has avoided the severe volatility which ripped through the gas market this week because strong winds helped to supply ample electricity to meet demand.

But as freezing winds begin to wane this weekend National Grid will need to use more gas-fired power plants to fill the gap, meaning the cost of generating electricity will surge.

Jamie Stewart, an energy expert at ICIS, said the price for base load power this weekend has already soared…

READ MORE
power plant operations

IAEA - COVID-19 and Low Carbon Electricity Lessons for the Future

READ MORE

energy storage

'Unlayering' peak demand could accelerate energy storage adoption

READ MORE

Ukraine resumes electricity exports despite Russian attacks

READ MORE

utility hard hat

Hydro One bends to government demands, caps CEO pay at $1.5M

READ MORE