Charlotte-based Duke Energy uses more than $80 million annually to influence government officials, civic leaders, news media and the public – and its monopoly-captive customers are forced to pay the bill.
WRAL: Environmentalists call out Duke Energy over ‘influence spending’
News & Observer: Duke Energy threatens advocacy group with legal action over financial claims
Duke Energy response: Cease and desist demand
Rate Cases
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Citizens have power to speak up — Salisbury Post
We are senior residents of Salisbury and concerned citizens of this country. Many of us live on fixed incomes. We have been struggling to pay our high electricity bills. Some of us have even been affected or know people affected by the coal ash crisis in North Carolina. As a result of this, when Jim Warren of NC Warn came to speak to us about our energy needs, holding Duke Energy accountable for how they say they use our money, and about how the earth is affected by carbon emissions, we listened.
Duke Energy’s mandatory fee plan is unwise and unfair — The News & Observer
Op-Ed by T. Anthony Spearman and Doug Dickerson. For most North Carolinians, the electric bill is a fact of life, an unavoidable part of the household budget. When times are tight, as they are for far too many of our constituents, families must find a way to pay. Otherwise, they risk having essential electric services shut off. For some, it’s an impossible choice between food, medicine and power.
Push Clean Energy — News & Observer
Letter to the Editor from Jim Warren. The author of “Cooper should crack down on Duke Energy’s hazards” (Nov. 29) was courageous in calling out Duke Energy’s hazardous practices and stranglehold on our democracy. The third leg of Duke’s business model – along with building unneeded power plants and raising rates – is spending tens of millions annually to distort and suppress debate. Read more, including Duke Energy’s response.
Proposed Duke Energy rate increase: $17.80 a month — WRAL News
Key hearings on Duke Energy’s request to raise household electricity rates 16.7 percent, once slated to begin today, has been delayed a week as government attorneys tasked with representing the public negotiate with the electric utility.
The change would increase the typical residential bill $17.80 a month, or about $214 a year. That includes a significant increase in the base rate people pay regardless of how much power they use.
Fight over Duke Energy’s Giant Rate Hike begins Monday — News Release from NC WARN
A highly controversial rate increase sought by Duke Energy Progress moves into the evidentiary hearing phase Monday at 1pm at the Dobbs Building in Raleigh. The Charlotte-based utility is seeking an overall increase of 14.9 percent, with households targeted for a 16.7 percent hike.
Day 1 of Duke Energy Progress rate increase hearings in the books – WRAL News
Duke Energy wants to pass coal-ash cleanup costs to you – ABC11 News
Coal ash debate takes center stage as Duke rate hike cases get underway – NC Policy Watch
Customer advocate proposal would slash Duke Energy’s N.C. rate hike — Charlotte Business Journal
North Carolina’s utility customer advocate proposes all but eliminating Duke Energy Progress’ 14% rate hike, recommending that regulators cut it to an increase of less than one-tenth of a percent. Duke’s hike had proposed an increase in the annual revenue requirement by $419 million. Instead, the Public Staff of the N.C. Utilities Commission proposes that increase go up by just $2.8 million.
AG, customer advocate say ‘bad acts’ by Duke Energy leave shareholders liable for coal-ash costs — Charlotte Business Journal
North Carolina’s utility customer advocate and Attorney General’s office argue Duke Energy Progress customers should not bear all the $311.4 million in coal-ash cleanup costs the utility seeks in its 14% rate hike request.
Protesters turn up heat on Duke’s big rate hike — Progressive Pulse
No commotion. No clapping. No signs. No singing. With the rules of decorum laid out by Capitol Police, Duke Energy Progress District Manager Marty Clayton opened the rate hike hearing Monday night by telling the NC Utilities Commission, “We look forward to hearing from our customers this evening.” That may be true, but it had to be difficult to hear witness after witness lambaste your employer as “backward,” “exploitative,” “untrustworthy” “polluters.”
Coal ash, Energy Bills & Finding Environmental Justice in Prison — The Dirt
Episode 5 of “The Dirt,” a monthly radio show on the environment and environmental justice hosted by NC Conservation Network, features a special report highlighting the groups resisting Duke Energy’s attempts to raise consumer energy bills.