The EPA proposes relaxing some of the standards and moving to a "site-specific" approach. It plans to hold two webinars on April 15 and 16 to provide an overview of the changes being proposed.

"It’s not clear exactly how much money North Carolina incentives have saved data center operators; unlike states like Virginia, Georgia, and Ohio (which require annual reporting), North Carolina doesn’t make these companies share their spending totals beyond one-time, initial estimates."

"Given the trillions of dollars of capital that is flowing freely into data center construction, they simply do not need economic incentives to occur. The market is already delivering the incentives," Stein said.

"Testimony from Vote Solar indicates that Duke’s modeling software failed to account for 400 MW of behind-the-meter (BTM) battery storage," PV Magazine reports. "These customer-sited resources can be aggregated into virtual power plants to provide capacity during periods of high demand."

"This forces people into an impossible position — having to choose between lights, putting food on the table, getting their medications. No family in North Carolina should have to make that choice. I have to make that choice now, without the increase," said Gloria Mathey, who is chronically ill.

“Tying costs to volatile commodities means a lot of risk exposure for ratepayers," said Josh Brooks, chief of policy strategy and innovation for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. "That’s an issue both regulators and policymakers should take up.”

The NC Utilities Commission, at Duke Energy’s request, has banned recording devices from the public rate hike hearing in Lumberton this evening. They did not do this at last evening’s hearing in Raleigh, and the many Duke lawyers and officials there did not bring it up publicly.

"While the median utility company kept 13.5% of an energy bill for profit in 2024, Duke Energy [Carolinas] kept 21.7% – meaning that when a North Carolina customer pays a $100 utility bill, $21.70 is pure profit for Duke."

Are you an attorney who cares about climate change, environmental justice, democracy, and corruption? Come work with us at the Energy and Policy Institute! energyandpolicy.org/public-recor...

Duke Energy Progress rate hike hearings began tonight in Raleigh in packed room before all 5 NC utilities commissioners. Only three of 26 speakers spoke in favor of Duke, representing the Morrisville, Wake, & Zebulon Chambers; DEP is a member of all three groups, but none of them disclosed that.

Duke Energy has been blaming recent bill spikes in the Carolinas on cold weather. But an Energy and Policy Institute analysis shows that rate increases and other charges are also to blame.

The national trend stands in contrast to Duke Energy’s latest long-term plan, which proposes extending coal use and building new natural gas plants while scaling back solar procurement.

According to the new data, one-third of all U.S. households struggle with energy affordability and access, a sharp increase from previous survey years. Every region in the country saw an increase in energy insecurity between 2020 and 2024, with the highest rates found in the South.

The climate justice group NC Warn is soliciting the public’s help in pressing Gov. Josh Stein to take the lead against Duke Energy.

Three North Carolina Democratic state House members who crossed the aisle to cast key votes to override a veto of a controversial Duke Energy-backed utility bill were rejected by voters in their own party’s primaries — after receiving the maximum $10,000 campaign contributions from the utility.

An epic rant over Duke Energy's recent shocker bills in North Carolina.

A racial justice perspective on our new report looking at profits in electric bills.

No journalist should be referring to the #SAVEAmericaAct as a "voter ID bill." That is not what it is, and having ID would not be sufficient to vote under the act. Voters would have to prove citizenship to register to vote, which means they'd need a passport or birth certificate.

More coverage of customer rage over a spike in Duke Energy bills. The $254 bill shown here is low compared to ones I'm hearing about, which have doubled into the $400+ range.

If you buy your electricity from an investor-owned utility, and you're curious about how much of your electric bill goes straight to profit, we did the math for you. energyandpolicy.org/utilityprofi...

The electric utility industry is using its political influence to try to block the use of inexpensive plug-in solar panels that make solar power accessible to renters.

Consumer advocates have reached agreements with Duke Energy over the planned merger of its two utilities in the Carolinas. The NC Utilities Commission and Public Service Commission of SC must approve the combination, which was OK'd by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Jan. 30.

Duke Energy customers in North Carolina are so alarmed by spiking electric bills that they're petitioning for an audit of the company's billing system.

"My biggest concerns are the things that you can't put a price on, which is all of our health," said nearby resident Nancy Looney. "I'm asthmatic, I know how it is not to be able to breathe. With this plant, you just never know long-term what it (air quality) could be."

Duke Energy wants to extend the life of coal-fired power plants in the state and to expand the use of gas, both of which contribute to greenhouse gas pollution.

“Working class people are barely able to buy food for their families, and Duke is out here charging us incredibly high rates,” said Charlotte resident Katie Rothweiler. “My Facebook feed is full of people having to choose between their monthly needs because these rates keep rising.”

Sometimes I step back and marvel at the fact that VSPs in US politics have convinced themselves that nuclear—an industry that has been consistently stepping on its dick for over 60 years—is the serious and sober energy future, while solar, which is breaking records all around us ...

Days before the case was set to go to trial, Duke Energy has settled a lawsuit brought by NTE Carolinas II accusing it of monopolizing the wholesale power market in North Carolina. Terms of the settlement are confidential.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance released an interactive Utility Bill Calculator showing how excessive profits for utility investors drive up electricity bills. Users can enter their state and electricity bill amount to see the numbers for their utilities. Here's mine. ilsr.org/energy/utili...

Ideas on how energy providers and regulators can rein in runaway electricity costs.

At the same time it's seeking rate hikes for its North Carolina customers, Duke Energy is warning of a spike in disconnections related to the recent winter weather that's driving up bills.

A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund finds that Duke Energy's requested 10.95% return on equity in North Carolina -- the profit state utility regulators' allow for the company's shareholders -- is the third-highest of 53 similar proposals by U.S. utilities since November 2024.

UNC law professor Donald Hornstein said it "was sort of courageous to bring this case" but added that he hopes the plaintiffs don't pursue it any further: "I would want as clean a slate as possible to bring claims in the context of specific injuries later."

The Trump administration wants to extend the life of coal plants, and to that end it's funding $34 million in upgrades to Duke Energy's Belews Creek facility along the Dan River in Stoke County, North Carolina.

An analysis of money flowing into the high-profile GOP primary race between NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, one of the state's most powerful politicians, and Sheriff Sam Page has identified Duke Energy money flowing to Berger.

The NC Utilities Commission erred in 2024 when it let Duke Energy recover ~$998M in fuel costs from customers, the state Court of Appeals ruled. Normally that would mean refunds. But because the legislature changed the law in 2025, the court said refunds would be pointless. They err, customers pay.

A new report from Gov. Josh Stein's North Carolina Energy Policy Task Force focuses attention on the "uniquely high energy needs" of data centers and how to spread the costs fairly among Duke Energy's customers.

NC Gov. Josh Stein's choice for the Utilities Commission is NC State Professor John Gajda, who previously worked for the Commission and Public Staff, state electric cooperatives, Duke Energy, and Strata Clean Energy.

The North Carolina Business Court has dismissed Carrboro's groundbreaking climate-damage lawsuit against Duke Energy, holding that the case raises nonjusticiable political questions that courts aren't equipped or authorized to decide. Carrboro is reportedly considering whether to appeal.

"… if the Endangerment Finding is overturned, the electric power sector could be broadly exposed to tort and nuisance suits brought by citizens and states—as was the case prior to EPA regulation of [greenhouse gases]," wrote Eric Holdsworth of the industry's Edison Electric Institute back in 2019.

The NC Utilities Commission appointment fight heads to the state Supreme Court. Treasurer Brad Briner won a lower court ruling to keep his new appointment power, giving the GOP control over the commission majority, and now he's appealing to the high court to lock in the precedent.

St. Petersburg, Florida, is now accepting bids from consulting companies to complete a study weighing the pros and cons of cutting ties with Duke Energy and operating its own municipal-run electric utility.

“Duke Energy today announced billions in profits while hard-working North Carolina families struggle to pay bills that continue to increase," said Meech Carter, clean energy campaigns director at the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters.

Duke Energy will discuss its 2025 earnings this morning. The company took $4.97 billion in profit, up from $4.4 billion the previous year.

Wild times in Alabama. After Georgia voters kicked out incumbent utilities commissioners cozy with Georgia Power, Alabama lawmakers are considering *ending elections* for their commission and moving to appointments made by politicians subject to the influence of Alabama Power's money.

In Florida communities considering cutting ties with Duke Energy, shadowy alliances have sprung up to fight municipalization, and local officials suspect they're connected to the company. Duke denies it, but it's refusing to answer follow-up questions about whether it's funding them.

Dump Duke was joined by Faith in Florida, Suncoast Sierra Club, Food and Water Watch, St. Petersburg City Council Vice Chair Richie Floyd, and the Pinellas chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. www.cltampa.com/news/dump-du...

WRAL compared Texas' robust electrical grid protection regime with North Carolina's. "The Texas situation should have sprung us into action, to think about this in advance," said North Carolina state Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford.

The group pressing the Florida cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater to take over local electric power systems now operated by Duke Energy held a press conference yesterday to talk about the effort. "We already run our own water and trash with no hiccups," noted Clearwater resident Megan Panek.

The schedule of public hearings on Duke Energy's proposed North Carolina rate hikes is out. They kick off with a hearing on the Duke Energy Progress request on March 30 in Raleigh.