The N.C. Utilities Commission issued an order Tuesday clearing the way for it to consider Duke Energy Progress’ proposed 14.9% rate increase. The evidentiary hearing will likely be held by October, and the commission is expected to act so that Duke Progress can implement the new rates at the start of 2018.
Coal & Coal Ash
Due to its size, Duke Energy is pivotal in the fight over coal vs climate. NC WARN and allies blocked the first of two Cliffside units Duke wanted to build – by proving it wasn’t necessary — and continued to struggle against the second unit. We have been protesting Duke Energy’s toxic coal ash spill into the Dan River, and working to ensure that North Carolina electricity customers do not foot the bill for the cleanup of the Dan River and Duke’s other coal ash sites.
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Duke Energy Progress proposes 14.9% N.C. rate hike — Charlotte Business Journal
Duke Energy Progress is proposing a 14.9% increase in its overall rates for N.C. customers that it says would raise about $477 million a year in new revenue for the company.
State Law Requires Duke Energy Shareholders to Pay Billions for Coal Ash Negligence, NC WARN tells Regulators — News Release from NC WARN
Duke Energy has signaled to regulators and reporters that it will seek to bill customers an initial $5 billion for its coal ash negligence. Yesterday, NC WARN filed early comments with the NC Utilities Commission about the upcoming legal battle.
In short, we contend that Duke Energy shareholders must pay for all costs of coal ash cleanup because neither longstanding nor recent state laws allow Duke to raise customer rates to pay for costs resulting from unlawful activities, lawsuit settlements or criminal convictions.
Will you foot the bill for Duke Energy’s coal ash cleanup? — Winston-Salem Journal
Consumer activist Jim Warren, the executive director of the watchdog group NC WARN, said it’s unfair for consumers to get “stuck” with the bill for negligence by Duke Energy executives who made unwise decisions that allowed coal ash to proliferate in storage ponds waiting for an accident to occur.
Group opposes Duke Energy plans to burn natural gas in Cliffside coal plant — Charlotte Business Journal
Advocacy group NC WARN wants state regulators to hold hearings on Duke Energy’s $56 million plan to upgrade its Cliffside coal units to burn natural gas. NC WARN contends that upgrading Duke Energy’s two Cliffside coal units at the Rogers Energy Complex would be needlessly expensive and environmentally unsound.
Neighbors of Coal Ash Invite Gov. McCrory to Dinner — News Release from ACT Against Coal Ash
Members of ACT Against Coal Ash gathered this morning in Raleigh, across from the Governor’s Mansion, to highlight the failure of Governor McCrory and his administration to act with transparency regarding coal ash. They invited McCrory to dinner at their homes near Duke Energy’s coal ash dumps.
Rein in Duke Energy, Groups Tell Attorney General — News Release from NC WARN
An alliance of nonprofits today called for NC Attorney General Roy Cooper to assert his explicit legal authority to enforce the corporate charter of Duke Energy, saying an investigation of the corporation’s North Carolina operations is required due to its history of criminality – from partnering with Enron to coal ash failures – and a rapidly advancing climate crisis that could see sea levels rise 10 feet by mid-century.
See coverage in the Los Angeles Times, Charlotte Observer and others.
Complaint charges Duke Energy touts clean power in West while polluting Southeast — LA Times
The nation’s largest utility and a leading developer of renewable energy for the Los Angeles area is under fire in a complaint that accuses the company of being one of the worst polluters in the country.
North Carolinians Impacted by Coal Ash Launch Alliance [with video] — ABC 11
“This is not something that we can drop a few million dollars and make some nice news reel and put it away,” said Bobby Jones, also from Goldsboro. “This is killing people in our state.”
People impacted by coal ash in North Carolina form alliance [with video] — WBTV News
People from across North Carolina who have been impacted in some way by coal ash have announced a new alliance that combines environmental groups and other advocacy groups.