Duke Energy Corporation

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Slightly Bearish -15

Climate activists block governor’s mansion, call Stein ‘complicit’ with Duke Energy

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👥 Six activists from NC Warn blocked the entrance to the Governor's Mansion in Raleigh on Wednesday to protest Duke Energy.

⛽ The protesters called for an end to Duke Energy's fossil-fuel expansion within North Carolina.

🏛️ Activists accused Governor Josh Stein of being "complicit" in policies that they claim worsen climate disasters like hurricanes and wildfires.

🤝 While Stein has publicly opposed a recent utility rate hike, the General Assembly ultimately overrode his veto on the bill.

📉 NC Warn executive director Jim Warren described Duke Energy's plan to become carbon-neutral by 2050 as "bogus" given imminent climate risks.

⚡ The group specifically criticized Duke's planned expansion of 12,000 megawatts of fossil fuel capacity despite ignoring its own climate data.

💰 Protesters highlighted that Duke Energy earned nearly $5 billion in 2025 while proposing a controversial rate hike.

👓 Approximately 20 additional supporters gathered at a rally before the activists moved to block the Jones Street gate.

🌪️ Climate advocate Bobby Jones warned that residents of "Hurricane Alley" are being forced to finance their own demise through fossil-fuel funding.

✉️ In April, more than 60 scientists signed an open letter urging Stein to speak out against Duke Energy's reliance on fossil fuels.

⚖️ A governor spokesperson confirmed Stein vetoed the rate hike bill before lawmakers overrode it, supporting legal challenges to Duke's pricing.

📅 This news story was originally published on May 6, 2026, highlighting ongoing tensions in North Carolina's energy sector.

Bullish Signals
  • Governor Josh Stein vetoed the General Assembly's bill that would increase utility bills, shift costs of industrial users to residential ratepayers, and slow efforts to bring down emissions.
  • After lawmakers overrode his veto, Governor Stein supported Attorney General Jackson's efforts to challenge Duke Energy's excessive rate hikes.
  • The Governor called on the Utilities Commission to require significant changes to Duke Energy's Carolinas Resource Plan regarding affordable clean energy.
  • The state needs an energy system that protects consumers, reduces pollution, and supports economic growth.
  • More than 60 scientists wrote an open letter to Stein urging him to advocate for a transition away from fossil fuels.
  • Governor Josh Stein has previously chastised the company and opposes its proposed rate hike while earning nearly $5 billion in 2025.
Risk Factors
  • Climate activists accuse Governor Josh Stein of being 'complicit' in policies that intensify hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, highlighting regulatory risks surrounding Duke Energy's operations.
  • Duke Energy is accused of pursuing a controversial 12,000 megawatt fossil fuel expansion under the guise of a carbon-neutral plan by 2050, which activists label as 'bogus' and irrelevant to near-term climate damage.
  • Despite earning nearly $5 billion in 2025, Duke Energy is facing pressure for a proposed rate hike while simultaneously retreating on clean energy investments, raising concerns about profitability versus public sentiment.
  • Governor Josh Stein's veto of the General Assembly's bill was overridden by lawmakers, allowing a plan that shifts costs from industrial users to residential ratepayers and slows emissions reduction efforts.
  • An open letter signed by more than 60 scientists in April warns of 'climate catastrophe' due to Duke Energy's continued reliance on fossil fuels and reluctance to transition to renewable energy.
  • Activists are demanding the end to Duke's policies, citing the company's own research showing the need to ignore climate data while expanding its coal portfolio.
  • The protest highlights growing regulatory and reputational risks as environmental groups label Duke a 'climate polluter' and Governor Stein as ineffective in protecting North Carolinians from extreme weather events.
Full Analysis
Activists from NC Warn staged a protest at the Governor's Mansion in Raleigh on Wednesday, accusing Governor Josh Stein of being complicit in Duke Energy's fossil-fuel policies which they claim intensify hurricanes, wildfires, and drought. The six demonstrators occupied the Blount Street gate for three hours before moving to the Jones Street entrance after repeated orders from Capitol police to disperse. The protesters specifically targeted Duke Energy's proposed expansion of 12,000 megawatts of fossil fuel capacity over the next 50 years, arguing that this plan contradicts the company's claims of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050. Jim Warren, executive director of NC Warn, labeled the long-term sustainability plan as "bogus" and emphasized that North Carolina will suffer significant damage from climate events in the coming two decades regardless of future net-zero goals. The conflict is further fueled by Duke Energy's request for a rate hike while earning nearly $5 billion in 2025, according to the activists. Governor Stein previously opposed this rate increase in December, stating that families are already struggling and that utility costs should not be increased at the expense of affordable clean energy growth. Following his veto of a General Assembly bill that would have shifted industrial costs to residential users and slowed emissions reductions, state legislators overrode the veto. Consequently, Governor Stein supported Attorney General Jackson's efforts to challenge the rate hikes and urged the Utilities Commission to require significant changes to Duke Energy's Carolinas Resource Plan, which critics say has retreated from affordable clean energy initiatives. The environmental concern is particularly acute as hurricane season approaches, with roughly 20 additional supporters joining the initial protest to voice their frustrations. Bobby Jones, an environmental justice advocate from Goldsboro, noted that residents in "Hurricane Alley" should not be forced to finance Duke Energy's expansion which they view as leading toward ecological and financial demise. This protest follows a significant public pressure campaign in April when more than 60 scientists wrote an open letter to Governor Stein warning of impending climate catastrophe if he continues to support or fail to oppose Duke Energy's reliance on fossil fuels instead of transitioning to renewable sources. The article highlights the growing tension between local utility providers, state political leadership, and environmental advocates regarding energy policy and climate resilience in North Carolina.