By John Downey Duke Energy Renewables plans to invest $225 million over the next several years in building and operating solar projects for commercial customers after purchasing a majority stake in California solar company. Duke Renewables and REC Solar of San Luis Obispo, Calif., declined to provide the financial details of …
Duke/Kochs' Control of Government
Duke Energy and others in the energy industry consistently use deceptive public relations – and millions of customer dollars – to distort the debate over important decisions. Duke’s control over NC state government is significant. We must face this “inconvenient truth” in order to make the shift to clean, safe energy. This corporate influence has, in the words of Dr. James Hansen, wounded our democracy.
Particularly egregious are efforts by Duke, the Koch brothers and other industry powers to slow the growth of solar energy and, in North Carolina, to prevent competition from third-party providers of no-upfront-cost solar deals that put solar energy within reach of many more homeowners and businesses. Another good example of corporate power is the passage in some states of Construction Work in Progress laws that allow utilities to charge customers in advance for building expensive new plants that aren’t even needed.
In 2015, Duke Energy, the Koch Brothers and others successfully kept the Energy Freedom bill bottled up in committee at the NC legislature. The bill would have opened up NC to third-party solar deals. Read about our 2015 Duke Hates Solar campaign in support of the bill.
Read about our Solar Freedom project at Faith Community Church in Greensboro — a test case in the state’s ban on third-party sales of electricity.
Direct Appeals for Dialogue with Duke Energy
NC WARN has repeatedly reached out to Duke Energy executives, seeking to collaborate with them on moving away from obstructionism and toward a clean energy future. A few examples are listed here.
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Do New Solar Rules for NC Allow for Slow-Walking Contracts? — Public News Service
The state Utilities Commission rejected both proposals and kept the basic framework for solar the same. Legal counsel with NC WARN, John Runkle, says the issue at hand is the real value of solar is not being recognized, and the rules allow Duke Energy to slow-walk contract and interconnection negotiations.
Commission Ruling Harms NC Solar Industry — News Release from NC WARN
The NC Utilities Commission’s New Year’s Eve order in the Avoided Cost docket allows Duke Energy and the Koch Brothers to continue beating down our once-growing solar power industry. Solar companies have made clear that they need regulators to improve contract conditions in order to force Duke to quit stalling large independent solar projects.
NCWARN runs ad criticizing Duke Energy’s approach to solar power — Charlotte Business Journal
Trigaux: Is Duke Energy’s iron grasp on Tallahassee slipping? — Tampa Bay Times
Trigaux: If you’re not mad at Duke Energy, you’re not paying attention — Tampa Bay Times
In 2014, Duke’s delivered little but calamity, especially in Florida, where customers serve as company punching bags. But even in its home state of North Carolina, Duke fumbled. Now it’s busy downplaying a horrible environmental spill of its own making. A toxic sludge of 39,000 tons of arsenic-laced coal ash and 27,000 gallons of contaminated water now coats nearly 70 miles of the once-scenic Dan River.
Statement on Duke Solar Announcement — News Release from NC WARN
Duke’s solar announcement today is a good step. But it’s the ONLY step Duke plans to make toward renewables for its Carolinas customers – according to its newly filed long-range plans – over the next 15 years. Meanwhile, Duke is actively working to stifle the growth of large-scale and rooftop solar in NC – in the ongoing case at the Utilities Commission.
Duke Energy commits $500 million to N.C. solar power expansion — Triangle Business Journal
Duke Energy is making a $500 million commitment to a major expansion of solar power in North Carolina. The company will acquire and construct three solar facilities — totaling 128 megawatts of capacity. Duke also signed power-purchase agreements for five new solar projects in the state, representing 150 megawatts of capacity.
McCrory’s mishandling of his Duke stock — Charlotte Observer
Rather than owning the mistake, McCrory issued a defensive statement and said he broke no rules. In May, a spokesman pointed to the now-discredited disclosure report and said it “eliminates the often repeated, ridiculous and false, partisan left-wing attacks challenging the intent of our decisions and policies.” That reminds one of Hillary Clinton dismissing probes into her husband as just a “vast right-wing conspiracy.”