The new facility’s planned retirement is in 2059 — 17 years after Buncombe County government’s 2042 goal of transitioning all homes and businesses to completely renewable energy. Jason Walls, Duke Energy district manager, said his company is committed to helping local governments achieve their goals but that the new plant’s construction is based on forecasts of growing energy needs.
![Construction at Duke Energy's Lake Julian facility](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/GREEN_1_Construction-with-coal-in-background-330x248.jpg)