Duke Energy Sees No Carbon Limits Till 2009, 2010

Duke Energy Sees no Carbon Limits Till 2009, 2010

PlanetArk US

7th February 2007

NEW YORK - US power company Duke Energy Corp. Chief Executive James Rogers said Tuesday he does not expect the United States to implement carbon emission limits until 2009/2010

Chief Executive James Rogers told Reuters he is working to achieve "minimal price impact on our customers to move into a carbon-constrained world."

US lawmakers have proposed several plans to curtail the emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases blamed by most scientists for contributing to global warming, though opposition from the administration of President Bush could prevent any output caps from becoming law.

Last month, Duke joined 10 other major US corporations and environmental organizations to push the president and Congress to address climate change.

The group, known as the United States Climate Action Partnership, is calling for a nationwide limit on carbon dioxide emissions that would lead to reductions of 10 percent to 30 percent over the next 15 years.

Duke, the third-largest consumer of coal, said it would work to avoid the adverse impact of its disproportionate reliance on coal.

"Our part of the country is very reliant on coal," Rogers added. Duke supports a "transition period, such as was used when limits on emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitroxide oxide were implemented.

Under such a five-year transition period, the company would not see a cost impact on emission limits until 2014 or 2015, according to Rogers.

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE