Duke Energy CEO calls move by power giant potential threat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke Energy's CEO Jim Rogers is calling a move by another power giant a "potential threat."

In an article by Bloomberg, NRG Energy, the biggest power provider to U.S. utilities, said it will bypass those utility clients and instal solar panels on the rooftops of homes and businesses.

Christopher Frishmuth, who had solar panels installed on his roof in Kings Mountain last December, said he's glad to hear another company is moving toward providing solar energy for residents.

He said his bills plummeted after installing the panels and a wood-fired stove.

"It's basically from $155 down to $62 a month," he said.

Chris Verner with Accelerate Solar installed those panels.

He explained how the power flows to Duke Energy for a credit, since Frishmuth is still connected to the grid for back-up.

"It's able to calculate how much power is used by the house, that is brought in by the grid," he said, pointing to the power meter. "Plus, it's able to calculate what he sends out."

But NRG Energy is taking solar panel use a step further.

Not only is it installing solar panels for customers, but in Bloomberg, its CEO David Crane is quoted as wanting to provide them with equipment that would allow them to store their own energy -- essentially becoming their own utility company.

"They don't need the power industry at all," he says in the article.

Duke Energy's CEO Jim Rogers is quoted as saying, "It is obviously a potential threat to us over the long term."

It's something Tom Williams, Duke Energy's director of external relations, doesn't dispute.

"Jim's job as CEO is to see things far around the corner," Williams said, "and if something is going to erode our business potentially down the road, we need to be prepared for that."

Duke Energy already builds its own solar farms and constructs them for other utilities to use as well.

Eyewitness News asked Williams how the company plans to respond.

Williams said they're not concerned in the short term because NRG Energy is mainly in California and New York, where he says electric costs are higher and make solar energy even more attractive.

"This is a big company with an interesting idea and we're watching it very closely," he said.

WSOC