Monopoly System is Failing North Carolina, Says Watchdog Group
Durham, NC – Clean-energy group NC WARN is challenging Duke Energy’s monopoly control over North Carolina electricity customers by appealing a highly controversial rate hike to the NC Supreme Court. State regulators have not held Duke to its obligations as a regulated monopoly over the course of four controversial rate increases since 2009, and households, local governments and small businesses are suffering the consequences.
In short, we contend that the NC Utilities Commission has violated state law by allowing Duke to overcharge customers, and that the Commission has failed to set affordable, fair, and equitable rates. Moreover, the Commission failed to properly examine the effect of these new rates – and Duke’s exorbitant guaranteed profit – upon the people within the economy. Also, the Commission has once again allowed Duke to improperly shift costs between customer classes in a way that favors large customers while discriminating against smaller customers.
This rate case keenly demonstrates the customer gouging and manipulation taking place in monopoly-captured North Carolina. We’re calling on the Court to force regulators to start holding Duke accountable – and to stop the world’s largest corporate utility from manipulating rates and padding profits.
(Our appeal is separate from the Attorney General’s. Both are being filed late today or early tomorrow.)
