N.C.
Duke Energy Carolinas and NC Public Staff Reach Settlement Capping Rate Increase at 3.7% a Year; Commission Approval Pending
The proposed deal would cut a rate hike Duke first sought at roughly 18% to an average 3.7% annual increase over two years, but the state attorney general did not sign it and continues to press for lower utility profits.
More North Carolina Towns Pause New Data Center Construction as $19 Billion Edgecombe County AI Project Is Withdrawn
Mount Airy joins roughly 30 North Carolina communities that have temporarily halted new data center development, while a proposed 900-megawatt AI campus near Tarboro was pulled by its developer.
North Carolina Council Classifies Eight Counties in 'Exceptional' Drought as Statewide Dry Spell Continues
State drought officials place eight Triangle-area counties in the highest drought category on July 16 as utilities enforce Stage 2 water limits; the same map shows a slight net improvement from earlier weeks.
NC State Audit: 78% of Pre-1983 Landfill Sites Never Investigated for Contamination
A performance audit by North Carolina's elected state auditor found that a DEQ program has not investigated 534 of 688 identified old landfill sites, with full cleanup estimated near $1 billion.
North Carolina State Audit Reports Over $1 Million in 'Questionable' Spending by Former Cary Town Manager and Staff
A state auditor's report describes weak financial controls and flagged purchases under former manager Sean Stegall; criminal investigations are ongoing and no charges have been filed.
Frito-Lay Files State Notice to Cut 65 Warehouse Jobs at Raleigh Distribution Center
PepsiCo's Frito-Lay told North Carolina officials it will eliminate most positions at its Raleigh warehouse by early September and hand day-to-day operations to an outside logistics contractor.
North Carolina Reports More Than 300 Cyclospora Cases as State Source Stays Unidentified
State and county health officials say a parasitic gut illness has sickened over 300 people since May amid a record national surge; the outbreak has become a flashpoint over cuts to U.S. foodborne-disease surveillance.
North Carolina Elections Board Votes to Require Only a Majority, Not Unanimity, to Reject Voter Photo-ID Exception Affidavits
The State Board of Elections approved a rulemaking change that lets county boards reject a voter's photo-ID exception affidavit by simple majority rather than unanimous vote; the change awaits Rules Review Commission approval.
NC State Health Plan Puts Duke in 'Access' Tier and WakeMed in Top-Cost Tier for 2027
North Carolina's State Health Plan board finalized a new tiered provider network for 2027 that gives Duke Health mid-range pricing while pushing most WakeMed care into the highest out-of-pocket tier.
Anson County Reports Discolored Tap Water After Repeated Main Breaks as State Lawmaker Seeks $100 Million for Repairs
A rural North Carolina county remains under a boil-water advisory following two July water main breaks, while a Republican legislator pushes for state money to overhaul an aging system officials say needs roughly $1 billion.
Wake County Reopens Cooling Stations as Heat Index Tops 100 in Central North Carolina
County officials opened air-conditioned public buildings from July 16 through at least July 20 after the National Weather Service forecast dangerous heat, part of a broader U.S. heat wave that has renewed debate over climate change and federal energy aid.
Duke Energy and NC Consumer Advocates Reach Partial Deal Trimming Proposed Rate Hike; Profit Rate and Final Approval Still Pending
A partial settlement would raise a typical Duke Energy Carolinas residential bill about $9.39 a month in 2027, but the disputed return-on-equity issue and final Utilities Commission approval remain unresolved.