By Margaret Lillard,

Associated Press

Raleigh | North Carolina inched a step closer to becoming the first Southeastern state to make its utilities use renewable fuels and energy conservation under a bill that won preliminary House approval Monday.

The highly touted energy act requires the state’s utilities to provide 12.5 percent of their retail electricity from renewable fuel and efficiency measures by 2017. It cleared its first full House vote 108-11, and needs final House approval and Senate concurrence before Gov. Mike Easley can sign it into law.

Critics have complained in committee hearings about sections of the measure that would allow the construction of traditional power plants to be financed at ratepayers’ expense. (more…)