SocraticGadfly: Duke Energy lies about being green

February 03, 2009

Duke Energy lies about being green

In the past couple of years, Duke Energy has appeared to be a leader in concerns about global warming, especially amongst its brethren in the utilities business.

Well, per Hastings Group, here's the quite different reality.


. February 5, 2009 NC/Duke Energy News Advisory ...

At 11:30 a.m. Eastern time Thursday, Feb. 5, five North Carolina groups will release a major new report detailing the statewide candidates and elected officials who have benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions in North Carolina by Duke Energy's political action committee (PAC) and its top executives.

The North Carolina organizations joining together to release the report are: NC WARN (North Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, Durham, NC); The Canary Coalition (Sylva, NC); Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (Asheville, N.C., office); Southern Energy Network (Chapel Hill, N.C.); and Mountain Voices Alliance (Asheville, N.C.) The report is a comprehensive analysis of State Board of Elections data covering the period January 2005-November 2008.

The new report reveals multiple donations from Chairman/CEO Jim Rogers and about two thirds of Duke's senior executive team. The contributions were made as Duke Energy sought favorable state action on a host of fiercely debated energy matters, including approvals for a new Cliffside coal fired power plant; approval of Senate Bill 3, which shifted much of the risk of building new power plants to the consumer; a possible nuclear plant just across the border in South Carolina; and the "Save-a-Watt" scheme the company touts as a tool to promote energy efficiency but which critics call a consumer rip-off that does very little to reduce demand for electricity.

TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based North Carolina/Duke Energy news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 11:30 a.m. ET on February 5, 2009 by dialing 800-860-2442. Ask for the "North Carolina/Duke Political Contributions" news event.

CAN'T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio recording of the news event will be available on the Web as of 6 p.m. ET on February 5, 2009.

CONTACT: Leslie Anderson, 703-276-3256 or landerson@hastingsgroup.com.

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