Report: North Carolina plants have high carbon dixoide output

CHAROTTE (AP) — A new report says three coal-fired power plants in North Carolina are on an environmental group's national list of the 50 facilities blamed for the highest emissions of carbon dioxide.

The Environmental Integrity Project released the report.

North Carolina plans on the list include Duke Energy's Belews Creek plant in Stokes County and Marshall plant in Catawba County, along with Progress Energy's plant in Person County.

The Progress Energy plant was ranked in the state at No. 26. The Belews Creek plant was listed 28th, and the facility in Marshall was 46th.

Environmental Integrity listed plants by the amount of carbon dioxide the facilities released in 2006.

Just over half of Duke Energy's power is produced at coal-fired plants in South Carolina and North Carolina.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)