Duke Energy’s Senate Bill 559 is indeed a Trojan Horse (oped June 1). The bill – which could be worth tens of billions for Duke – is as lousy as the deceptive process pushing it forward.
Duke loaded the bill with complexity so neither legislators nor the public can track the rip-off. It’s quite telling that every stakeholder group opposes the bill – business big and small, consumer, clean energy and environmental justice groups.
In fact, the only supporters are a few powerful legislators who sold their colleagues on Duke’s ludicrous claim that the bill would help electricity ratepayers. Virginia’s former Republican attorney general warned NC legislators that, under a similar power grab, utilities overcharged Virginia customers more than $1 billion.
This bill would help Duke Energy lock in its massive expansion of climate-wrecking fracked gas, keep driving up rates and keep blocking competition from cheaper renewable energy.
If SB 559 passes, it will confirm what NC WARN and other Energy Justice Coalition members exposed last month: Duke’s campaign money and lucrative private work for legislative cronies continue to pollute our state.
Voters across the political spectrum must demand our elected officials reject this ratepayer rip-off. It’s time to end the Duke Energy monopoly.
Jim Warren
Executive Director
NC WARN
