Exclusive audio: Duke Energy officials illuminate issues in Lake Lure
Duke Energy’s vegetation management program, storm response plans, energy costs, infrastructure and policy were discussed at a recent community meeting. The town didn't record it, I did.
The Lake Lure Duke Energy substation, in Rutherford County, is powered by a 44,000-volt transmission line from Turner Shoals at Lake Adger, in Polk County, officials said at a Feb. 20th meeting at Lake Lure town hall.
Duke Energy’s vegetation management program, storm response plans, energy costs, infrastructure, and policy were discussed. It is unclear why the town didn't record it, but I did.
“It is a common misconception that the electricity that we generate is used to provide power to the Town of Lake Lure. This has never been the case. We do not generate sufficient power for this and, more importantly, do not generate power 24 hours per day. Since the primary purpose of the lake is recreation, we do not draw the level down during periods of low water flow; we only run the plant when there is enough water coming down the river to operate the turbines. The power that is generated is sold to Duke Power Company through the substation above the dam. We have a contract with Duke Power that sets out the rate that they will pay and also establishes a daily peak period during which they will pay a premium for our power because it is the time of day when usage is at its highest,” a 2019 official statement said.
Duke Energy could double your monthly power bill in the coming years, WRAL reported in May. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Duke Energy Progress, which has most of its customers in the eastern part of the state, ranks well in affordability. It’s the 810th most expensive provider in the country out of nearly 1,400 companies. If rates doubled and other utilities stayed the same, Duke would jump to 26th most expensive. Duke Carolinas, which covers the western part of North Carolina, would jump from one of the cheapest — 1,116th least expensive to the 39th highest rates in the U.S. Last year, the two Duke providers in North Carolina made nearly $3 billion in net income, but like all public companies, they also have a duty to shareholders of stock. While the dividend checks go out, North Carolina customers will foot the bill for grid upgrades.
At the recent meeting, several individuals expressed frustration with cost, billing, and the frequency and duration of outages they have experienced. While town officials shared a summary and Duke Energy shared their slides, it does not tell the whole story. The audio does. Watch and listen below.