The watch-dog group NC Warn continues to fight against the merger of Duke Energy and Progress Energy. Yesterday the group filed motions with state regulators to try to re-open the merger hearings.
Leoneda Inge: One claim NC Warn is making involves more than two-billion dollars Duke Energy plans to spend repairing and upgrading Progress Energy’s nuclear plants. Jim Warren is executive director of NC Warn. He says Duke Power never disclosed that figure during the merger hearings. Warren fears customers will end up paying in the end.
Jim Warren: The billions in undisclosed rate hikes turns this merger into a net-public soaking instead of the net-public savings that is legally required of such a corporate merger.
Duke Energy says their planned system upgrades have no connection with the merger.