Sunrise UNC marches to University’s cogeneration facility to protest coal use

Around 40 protestors gathered Monday at Granville Towers, chanting and holding signs with phrases like “PUBLIC UNIVERSITY WOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC” and “NO MORE COAL” as they marched down West Cameron Avenue.

The demonstrators were marching with student climate activist group Sunrise UNC in protest of the continued operation of the Cameron Avenue Cogeneration Facility, a coal-burning power plant operated by the University. 

Kiersten Hackman, the Sunrise UNC communications team lead, said the coal plant has been the group’s main priority this year because it reflects a larger issue of universities avoiding accountability for local injustices. She also emphasized the importance of institutional memory, saying that Sunrise UNC works to pass down knowledge and leadership within the organization to keep the movement going while engaging with long-standing community organizations for lasting impact.

After arriving in front of the plant, there were speeches by protestors and sing-along songs, including one led by members of Raging Grannies, an international social justice organization. 

Lib Hutchby, a member of Raging Grannies, said it was important for her and the group to attend the protest to support students in their efforts to close down the plant. 

“The truth has been covered up for so long that some people don’t even know what is the truth,” she said. “So they don’t know who to trust. I’m over 80 years old now, I’ve been at this same coal-powered plant just singing some of the same protest songs for years.”

After the speakers finished, attendees used chalk to write messages on the sidewalk leading to the plant. Their statements included “LET US BREATHE,” “OUR TUITION, OUR DEMANDS” and the outline of a body with the words “UNC student Died 2025, Cause of Death: COAL ASH.”

Hackman said the organization is calling for commitment from the University to shut down the plant and a clear, transparent plan for the transition moving forward.

UNC’s use of coal for campus energy dates back to 1895, when the University opened its first power plant near what is now Phillips Hall. In 1940, a new facility was constructed at the west end of Cameron Avenue. By the 1980s, UNC had installed boilers at what would become the Cogeneration Facility, further entrenching its reliance on fossil fuels.

In 2010, then UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp pledged UNC would stop using coal by 2020, but the University reversed course in 2012. A new goal was set in 2016 to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. 

UNC Media Relations wrote in an email to The Daily Tar Heel that in order to meet campus and UNC Hospitals energy demands, the University needs multiple fuel options.

"The Cameron Avenue Cogeneration Facility has increased its reliance on natural gas and subsequently combusted approximately two-thirds less coal since 2007, contributing to a 37% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions," they wrote.

Victoria Plant, research lead for Sunrise UNC, said she and her team spent the past year creating a 30-page report on the University’s coal plant. According to the report, the plant still burns approximately 4,000 tons of coal per year. 

Sunrise UNC previously held a press conference and community chalk art event surrounding their research in February. 

While they consulted with faculty and administrators to share their concerns, Plant said University leaders haven't been very helpful.

“The biggest takeaway is that there’s going to be some upfront investment in [switching away from coal], but I think it’s possible. The technology is feasible to implement and it’s really a question of whether or not we want to do it, whether or not the University cares about the health and well-being of students and community members over profits,” she said.

UNC Media Relations said in their email that the University appreciates Sunrise UNC's interest and advocacy around the University transitioning away from coal, writing that the University's chief sustainability officer meets routinely with students. 

"The University is on record articulating a commitment to end coal use at the Cameron Avenue Cogeneration Facility as soon as feasible as part of our 2021 Climate Action Plan, which moved up the target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by a decade to 2040," Media Relations wrote.

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