Concerned about datacenters? Then you need to know more about gas pipelines.

All across North Carolina, a massive build-out is underway of natural gas pipelines. These pipelines are big: typically 2-3 feet in diameter, requiring a deep hole, for miles and miles in length. They are owned by private, for-profit corporations that typically seize private land through eminent domain agreed on by state officials.

Natural gas now powers most electricity in North Carolina. Most of the gas North Carolina consumes is pumped out of the ground in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Texas, and pumped here over hundreds of miles of pipelines. Occasionally those pipelines explode.

Natural gas is a win-win for Duke Energy, the pipeline owners, and the oil and gas industry. Each one profits at every step in the chain - leaving consumers at the end of the line to pay up. And with the datacenter construction boom creating a massive new demand for electricity (Duke Energy itself says that datacenters make up 80% of all new power demand they forecast), all of them are only too happy to build more - because consumers are going to pay for it all.

And the gas pipelines make the whole system work.

More info: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/07052026/duke-energy-north-carolina-enbridge-pipeline-opposition/

Why does Duke Energy spend so much money to influence North Carolina politics?

Basically: Duke Energy has a very safe, extremely lucrative business with no competition. Buying politicians is how the corporation protects their monopoly to keep extracting wealth from North Carolinians. ⚡️