State prison system nears full air conditioning as summer heat arrives
RALEIGH, NC — The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction says 90% of prison housing beds across the state are now located in air-conditioned spaces, marking a milestone in a multi-year effort to cool correctional facilities.
The agency announced the benchmark after completing air-conditioning installation projects this month at Warren Correctional Institution and Wilkes Correctional Center.
According to the department, nearly 39,000 prison beds are located throughout the state system. When the initiative began in 2022, about 63% of beds were air-conditioned, leaving more than 15,000 incarcerated people housed in non-air-conditioned spaces. Officials say that number has now dropped to about 2,700 beds.
Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Dismukes said the upgrades improve conditions for both incarcerated individuals and prison employees.
“Having air conditioning during hot North Carolina summers provides more comfortable living spaces for those in our custody and better working conditions for our employees,” Dismukes said in a statement.
The department said air-conditioning installation projects are currently underway at nine prison facilities. All but four prisons are expected to be fully air-conditioned by the end of 2026, with the agency aiming to complete the statewide effort in 2027.
The project includes upgrades at more than 140 buildings across 40 state prisons. In addition to cooling systems, some facilities have received improvements to fire alarm and life-safety systems. Officials said some locations have also added USB charging outlets for electronic tablets used by offenders.
The department said the work has been completed through a combination of outside contractors and participants in the agency’s Construction Apprenticeship Program.
North Carolina prisons also operate under a Heat Stress Management Plan, which outlines procedures staff follow during periods of excessive heat.
The department has requested $12.48 million in additional funding in the governor’s proposed budget to continue the air-conditioning initiative.
