Consumer group targets Duke Energy’s ESG goals in ad campaign.
A Consumer Group Takes on Duke Energy’s “Woke” Policies
A leading consumer group, Consumers’ Research, has launched a campaign against North Carolina-based utility provider Duke Energy. The group claims that Duke Energy’s prioritization of ”woke” policies is driving up consumer costs. In a letter to the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Consumers’ Research outlines its concerns about the company’s “climate agenda” and its impact on utility prices for residents in the state.
“As the nation’s oldest consumer protection organization, Consumers’ Research’s purpose is to educate consumers on issues that impact them and amplify their voice in the marketplace,” says Will Hild, the director of Consumers’ Research, in the letter. “It is for this reason that we implore the commission to put an end to the abuse of North Carolina consumers by Duke Energy.”
Hild took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to announce the campaign, stating that Duke Energy has admitted to increasing prices on American families to fund their ESG initiatives. The campaign aims to target Duke Energy customers, deploying mobile billboards critical of the company’s efforts in both Charlotte and Los Angeles.
Consumers’ Research has also launched a website to raise awareness about Duke Energy’s “climate agenda” and its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. According to Hild, Duke Energy plans to increase consumer costs by nearly 20% over the next three years due to their new ESG policies, which include retiring fossil fuel plants earlier than expected and installing EV chargers across the state.
In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Hild expressed his objection to Duke Energy’s CEO Lynn Good’s focus on fighting climate change and reducing carbon emissions as the core of their business model. Hild believes that the company should prioritize delivering affordable and reliable energy for consumers.
This campaign is part of Consumers’ Research’s broader effort to call out companies and investment firms that prioritize “woke” policies over consumer interests. While the group has previously targeted BlackRock and Bank of America’s ESG policies, this is the first time they have taken on a utility provider like Duke Energy.
“Perhaps the most abusive use of Duke’s resources has been their political advocacy of anti-consumer ‘net zero’ policies,” writes Hild. “It is a clear conflict of interest for Duke Energy to support policies that increase costs for the company while passing those costs onto their customers through rate hikes.”
Duke Energy has declined to comment on the campaign.
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