By Bruce Henderson
A Durham advocacy group asked Attorney General Roy Cooper on Wednesday to take legal action to amend Duke Energy’s corporate charter, citing Duke’s contributions to climate change among other claims.
NC WARN, a frequent critic of Duke, said the state constitution and general statutes allow corporate charters to be amended. WARN filed the “emergency complaint” on behalf of itself and six other groups.
“The attorney general has the authority to intervene on behalf of the people of North Carolina in order to police any corporation that abuses its power and recklessly endangers peoples’ lives and economic well-being,” the complaint said.
Duke responded by calling the complaint a “nuisance filing that drains taxpayer dollars and chews up state resources.”
“This is the latest in a string of meritless allegations and gimmicks by NC WARN that are consistently rejected by regulators and an informed public,” spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said. “It’s unfortunate when discussions of our energy future are clouded by misinformation.”
Noelle Talley of the attorney general’s staff said, “Our office will review the group’s submission.”