Melissa Williams, melissa.williams@sierraclub.org
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Sierra Club has launched an ad campaign in the Carolinas and Indiana, calling out Duke Energy for shutting people out of its annual shareholder meeting by hosting it online only.
The utility’s decision not to meet people face-to-face at the meeting has also been criticized by its own shareholders, because it lets Duke essentially hide from public scrutiny by cherry-picking the questions staff will answer. Instead of taking questions in person, CEO Lynn Good will speak in front of video cameras at an undisclosed location.
By refusing an in-person meeting, Duke Energy and Good appear to be hiding from tough questions like: Why are they actively blocking solar and wind power? Why are they determined to lock ratepayers into dirty, expensive power from nuclear and fracked gas plants for decades? And why is Duke Energy pushing for customers to pay for Duke's toxic coal ash waste cleanup?
“Duke should stop hiding—from shareholders and from the facts,” said David Rogers, campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in North Carolina. “Duke Energy claims they support clean energy, but their actions speak louder than their words. In fact, Duke’s long term plan assumes clean energy only grows from 5 percent today to 9 percent over the next 15 years. Duke can truly be a leader in our clean energy future while maintaining a healthy bottom line, but they’ve got to stop opposing solar power, and start working with customers to deliver the homegrown, clean energy they are demanding ”
Sierra Club’s media buy includes print and online advertisements that will run through mid-May in Duke’s service areas in North Carolina, South Carolina and Indiana.