DOE Head Chris Wright Came To North Carolina to Talk Jobs After Canceling a Major NC Wind Project

Raleigh, N.C. — Department of Energy Head Chris Wright was in North Carolina yesterday under the pretense of talking about creating jobs. However, Wright and the Trump administration recently canceled a $1 billion offshore wind energy project that would have powered 300,000 homes and brought jobs to eastern North Carolina. 

A new report released this week by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Alumni Network found that tens of billions of dollars of critical domestic clean energy investments have been cancelled or remain in limbo thanks to Trump’s war on clean energy. 

REMINDER: In September of last year, Natron Energy announced it was shutting down its planned battery manufacturing facility in Edgecombe County — where Secretary Wright visited yesterday. Natron faced troubles due to tariffs and restrictions from Trump’s clean energy cuts. Natron was expected to drive $1.4 billion in investment and 1,062 jobs.

Climate Power Senior Advisor Jesse Lee issued the following statement: 

“Secretary Wright has given North Carolina nothing but higher utility rates and shuttered factories. With the price of gas, diesel, utilities, groceries, and health care going up due to Trump’s war of choice in Iran and his attempt to ban clean energy, Secretary Wright owes North Carolina an apology. Coming to North Carolina to talk about jobs, in the very county where a project would have created more than 1,000 good-paying clean energy jobs until it was canceled months ago, is unconscionable.” 

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