NC leaders urge Duke Energy to commit legally to federal data center pledge
North Carolina leaders, Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson, are urging Duke Energy to legally commit to a federal pledge regarding data center power. The pledge aims to ensure data centers generate their own power in a separate rate class, protecting residential customers from potential cost increases. This call comes after Duke Energy signed the federal Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson are challenging Duke Energy to legally commit to the federal Ratepayer Protection Pledge. This pledge, which Duke Energy has already signed, requires large energy utilities to establish a separate rate class for data centers, ensuring they generate and pay for their own power.
The initiative is designed to prevent residential customers from bearing the increasing costs associated with data centers. Attorney General Jackson emphasized that while Duke Energy's promise to the federal government is noted, it needs to be legally binding and enforceable within North Carolina by the Utilities Commission to truly impact local power bills. Major technology companies like Amazon, Google, and OpenAI have also signed this pledge.
Duke Energy operates two subsidiaries in North Carolina, Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas, serving different parts of the state. This action follows earlier testimony from Jackson seeking to lower a proposed 15% rate hike by Duke Energy Progress for residents in Eastern North Carolina.