North Carolina is one of only four states left in the U.S. that still bans third-party energy sales, allowing Duke Energy a monopoly. Though the state’s legislature is finally considering an Energy Freedom Act (EFA), it should make its passage a priority.
The Institute of Southern Studies’ publication, Facing South,
Visit http://www.southernstudies.org/2015/04/duke-energy-called-out-for-targeting-black-communi.html explains that passage of the bill would “allow solar companies to install generating systems on homes and businesses for no money down and sell the power at a fixed rate lower than Duke Energy’s.”
Currently clean energy developers have to enter into contracts with Duke, which acts as a middle man, leaving the poor less able to afford to go solar. Instead of helping poor communities have access to solar power, Duke has tried to mislead them into opposing the EFA, claiming it will raise their rates.
But they aren’t buying it, because they know going solar benefits everyone by reducing usage and the need for more costly (and environmentally destructive) power plants.
With Duke’s decades of pollution causing serious health and environmental problems for the state and the potential benefits of non-monopolized energy markets, including more renewables and lower costs to consumers, there’s no time like the present for the legislature to pass this bill.
Tell NC to fast track its Energy Freedom Act!
We, the undersigned, support the speedy passage of North Carolina’s Energy Freedom Act.
North Carolina has been under the thumb of Duke Energy and its polluting practices far too long, and its citizens are paying for Duke’s monopoly with their health and their dollar, as they face rate hikes when Duke is forced to clean up. (WRAL’s Fact Check, explains that the moratorium on rate hikes for the Dan River clean-up expired in January, 2015 and does not cover costs of cleaning up other sites.)
According to NC Warn, Visit http://www.ncwarn.org/energy-freedom/
the EFA has bipartisan support and “A poll commissioned by Conservatives for Clean Energy found that North Carolinians across the political spectrum support competition and clean solar power.”
We see no reason to give Duke Energy any more time to try to sabotage the benefits of this legislation. We request that the act be passed without further delay.
Thanks for your time.
