NC WARN is calling for state regulators to assess millions of dollars in damages against Duke Energy Carolinas for what the watchdog group says are “egregious and pervasive” violations in the utility’s current rate case. Economist Bill Marcus of Sacramento-based JBS Energy, Inc. [states]: “Disallowance of the expense is clearly not enough. If it was not for NC WARN, the utility could have gotten away with this flagrant abuse from the highest levels of the company for years.”

An outside contractor hired to look for flaws in a Duke Energy nuclear reactor near Raleigh last year missed a quarter-inch spot of corrosion and cracking near the reactor core that forced a full shutdown last month after new eyes reviewing year-old data found the problem, federal regulators said Thursday. … The plant returned to full power Sunday. … Inspectors said they’re still trying to figure out why a pair of expert-level outside analysts independently failed to spot the problem, and why the spot wasn’t caught by later reviews of the data last year. A final NRC inspection report will be released by July 11.

Statement from Greenpeace, AARP NC and NC WARN. The state agency that supposedly represents North Carolina electricity customers has cut a deal with Duke Energy to settle a controversial rate hike request. The NC Utilities Commission’s Public Staff announced the deal today before even considering evidence being prepared by public interest groups, businesses and local governments – and before public hearings set for Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Hillsborough.

Each year, Duke Energy charges North Carolina ratepayers for money poured onto groups representing both major political parties at the federal and state levels, according to documents obtained by NC WARN during the discovery phase of Duke’s current rate hike request. Second installment of our Burning the Public series.

Duke is trying to charge families, small businesses $8 million annually for industrial schmoozing. First in a series of revelations NC WARN will roll out as our legal team reviews thousands of documents gained in Duke’s new rate case.

At a public meeting this evening, NC WARN will seek clarification on a number of questions regarding revelations that Duke Energy’s Harris nuclear plant operated for over a year with a quarter-inch crack in the reactor vessel head. Here are four good TV news stories on the May 15 shutdown of the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant:
Harris plant neighbors seek answers over nuclear shutdown (WNCT)
Wake County nuclear plant shut down (WTVD)
‘Flaw’ forces shutdown of Harris nuclear plant (WNCN)
Crack forces shutdown of nuclear reactor at Shearon Harris (WRAL)
UPDATE June 13: NRC still seeking why spot missed at Shearon Harris plant (AP)

In a motion filed yesterday, NC WARN, Greenpeace and the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League thanked the NC Utilities Commission for its May 10 order questioning Duke’s compliance with state rules requiring “the least cost mix of generation and demand‑reduction measures which is achievable” and called on state regulators to schedule full hearings over discrepancies between statutory requirements, Duke’s official filings and public statements made by CEO Jim Rogers.

Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers talks in this week’s print edition of the Charlotte Business Journal about allowing commercial subsidiary Duke Energy Renewables to compete with solar developers in North Carolina to sell power to Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress.

Greenpeace, NC WARN and NC Interfaith Power and Light thank the North Carolina Utilities Commission for challenging Duke Energy to provide an explanation for why the company is not pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy that would result in lower rates for North Carolina’s families and small businesses.