As Duke Energy continues its six-year PR campaign touting CEO Jim Rogers’ concerns about climate change and North Carolina’s economic health, long-range plans filed this month with state regulators contradict his professions. The plans reflect serial rate hikes to pay for an aggressive expansion of generating plants, and high carbon emissions for the next two decades.
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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Utility officials expected to hire investigators in Duke Energy review – The News & Observer
As the N.C. Utilities Commission’s investigation of Duke Energy enters its second week, the six political appointees who regulate the state’s electric utilities are expected to bring in outside investigators.
Duke-Progress Merger Signals Challenges to Economy, Environment and Democracy – NC WARN Press Release
Statement by NC WARN DirectorJim Warren: Creation of the nation’s largest electric utility will require enhanced vigilance and action by public advocates to protect our economy, our environment and our democracy from a giant corporation well-known for its use of political muscle to pursue profits and expansion. This merger will …
Progress Energy BREAKS nuclear plant – price tag $2.5 billion and rising
Progress Energy can congratulate itself for skirting major controversy at its three nuclear plants in the Carolinas in recent years. But 700 miles south of here, the Raleigh-based utility’s nuclear plant in Florida is experiencing one of the most exorbitant and bewildering mishaps in the history of the nation’s nuclear industry.
Merged Utilities Would Create State’s Top Corporate PAC – Democracy NC
115 of 170 NC legislators have Duke/Progress donations.
Great solar news, but NC utilities impeding the shift – An Update from NC WARN
The first two items show that we can get our energy primarily from clean, renewable sources and that solar PV will be cost competitive with traditional fossil fuels soon – even without government subsidies.
The third item relates how Duke Energy and other electric utilities are blocking the transition to clean energy in NC.
U.S. nuke regulators weaken safety rules – The Associated Press
Federal regulators have been working closely with the nuclear power industry to keep the nation’s aging reactors operating within safety standards by repeatedly weakening those standards, or simply failing to enforce them, an investigation by The Associated Press has found.
Absorbing the Nuclear Fallout – Op Ed, Charlotte Business Journal
It’s too early to know the impact of Japan’s emergency on public health and the industry. But new projects worldwide likely will be delayed as the events at Fukushima are analyzed, and changes are debated in plant design, regulation and emergency planning.
Japanese Nuclear Crisis May Pose Troubles For Duke’s Plans – WFAE Radio Article
The unfolding nuclear plant crisis in Japan could pose significant problems for Duke Energy’s effort to build a new reactor near Gaffney, SC.
Duke Seeks $459 Million for Possible Nuclear Plant – Statement from NC WARN
Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers is now under an FBI investigation for allegedly seeking to ensure his customers absorb massive cost overruns at a power plant construction project.