Wednesday evening, the Utilities Commission held its hearing in Marion at the courthouse. Local officials, average McDowell County residents and people from other cities and counties all signed up to speak about Duke’s requested rate hike. Most of them spoke strongly against it. Mayor Steve Little said he wanted to voice his “strongest possible objection” to the rate hike. “A request for an increase of the size that we see is unconscionable,” said Little. “It is simply not reasonable. It is not fair. We are not one of the big guys. We are not rich but we get hammered.”
Duke Energy & State Regulators
NC WARN regularly challenges Duke Energy to make a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and energy efficiency. We intervene at the NC Utilities Commission in cases involving Duke’s rate increases and 15-year Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs). And we have repeatedly reached out directly to the corporation’s executives, seeking to collaborate with them on finding ways to avert climate catastrophe. A few examples are listed here.
Related:
- Check out the new coalition: Energy Justice NC: End the Duke Monopoly
- Duke Energy page on Energy & Policy Institute website
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Public speaks out against Duke rate increase at hearing — Macon County News
On Tuesday, the public had its chance to voice any opposition they had towards Duke Energy and their proposed rate hikes. Duke Energy has proposed a 9.7 percent increase in its electric rates. The North Carolina Utilities Commission is holding hearings across the state to allow the public to have their say. Franklin was the site of one of these hearings — the only one west of Asheville — and people filled the courtroom designated for the hearing at the Macon County Court House Tuesday night.
Discrepancies in Duke Energy’s 20-year Plan Require Full Hearing, Cross Examination — News Release from NC WARN
In a motion filed yesterday, NC WARN, Greenpeace and the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League thanked the NC Utilities Commission for its May 10 order questioning Duke’s compliance with state rules requiring “the least cost mix of generation and demand‑reduction measures which is achievable” and called on state regulators to schedule full hearings over discrepancies between statutory requirements, Duke’s official filings and public statements made by CEO Jim Rogers.
N.C. Utilities Commission Challenges Duke Energy on Long-Term Plan
Greenpeace, NC WARN and NC Interfaith Power and Light thank the North Carolina Utilities Commission for challenging Duke Energy to provide an explanation for why the company is not pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy that would result in lower rates for North Carolina’s families and small businesses.
Climate, rates dominate Duke meeting — Charlotte Observer
Climate change and rate hikes dominated a Duke Energy shareholder meeting Thursday led for the last time by Jim Rogers, outgoing CEO of what the company says is the world’s largest publicly traded utility. Forcefully at times, Rogers defended Duke’s positions – and his own seven-year tenure – on questions ranging from renewable energy to pay raises for directors.
Green groups take protests into Duke Energy meeting — Charlotte Business Journal
Environmental groups came out in force for Jim Rogers’ final shareholders meeting as Duke Energy Corp.’s CEO. In addition to about 50 people gathered outside, dozens were inside to ask questions and make statements at the annual open session Rogers holds after the business session of the company’s annual meetings. When Rogers finally closed the session, several attendees continued to object. “Global warming is not an environmental issue — it is killing us,” shouted Beth Henry, a Charlotte activist. “You can’t build a good economy on a dead planet.”
Greenpeace Scolds Duke’s Jim Rogers on the Environment — Bloomberg
Greenpeace and a local environmental group called NC WARN bought a full-page ad in the May 1 edition of the Charlotte Observer to scold Rogers. “Jim Rogers has seven months to determine how history will remember his eight years as CEO: a leader who helped start a clean energy revolution, or a laggard who talked about global warming but never acted to stop it.”
Progress Energy tries to bolster case for rate increase — WRAL
Progress Energy called witnesses Monday to testify to the North Carolina Utilities Commission about the need for an electricity rate increase. “You have to weigh (lower industrial rates) against the economics of raising a lot of other people’s rates,” said Jim Warren, executive director of NC WARN, a watchdog group that is a frequent critic of Duke and Progress. “It takes away buying power. That kills jobs, too.”
Progress Energy Residential Rate Increase to Exceed 10% – After Proposed Settlement with Public Staff — News Release from NC WARN
The effect of the proposed Progress Energy rate hike on the average residential consumer is nearly double the 4.7 percent increase that is being presented by the NC Utilities Commission’s Public Staff, according to a new analysis conducted by the utility watchdog NC WARN.
Progress Energy Rate Hike Could Still be Over 10 Percent for Households – News Release from NC WARN
For the third time in a row, the NC Utilities Commission’s Public Staff has settled the major part of a rate case with Duke Energy or Progress Energy before all the public and evidentiary hearings are held.