{"id":783,"date":"2026-05-08T21:42:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T01:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/triangle\/?p=783"},"modified":"2026-09-23T21:46:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T01:46:34","slug":"drag-down-our-electric-bills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/triangle\/drag-down-our-electric-bills\/","title":{"rendered":"Drag Down our Electric Bills!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Howdy!<\/p>\n

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Grateful for the rain, but we need so much more. There have been several moratoriums on data centers in North Carolina recently, but we’ve also learned about another proposed pipeline in Chatham County! Lots of ways to take action in the next few weeks that you’ll find below. The rally before the last rate hike hearing next Tuesday will be fun. Hope to see you there!<\/div>\n
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May 12, Drag Down Our Electric Bills<\/strong><\/div>\n
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5:30 pm, Rally and Drag Show<\/div>\n
7 pm, Public hearing on Duke\u2019s request to raise electric bills<\/div>\n
Durham County Courthouse, 501 S. Dillard St. Durham<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Join us for the last rate hike hearing! North Carolinians are having to choose between paying the light bill and paying for food, medicine, or rent! One reason your bills are so high?: NC electric bills are subsidizing power for big tech companies\u2019 data centers.<\/div>\n
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What makes it even worse: Our money, water, and land are being consumed for for AI tools we don\u2019t use, but are used for:<\/div>\n
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Surveillance<\/div>\n
Wars<\/div>\n
Deporting our neighbors<\/div>\n
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Another reason why there should be NO rate hikes! Duke earned $1.58 billion in profits<\/a> in the first quarter of 2026.<\/div>\n
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Hear from speakers including Durham City Councilman Nate Baker, Nadeen Bir District 2 Durham School Board Member & co-founder of Mothers for Ceasefire, Triangle Raging Grannies and more. Then, rally around the electrifying queen herself, Stormie Daie! Can she teach (Pay My) Bills Gates & Jeff Bozos a lesson? Then speak out at the hearing! Register here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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May 11, Earth\u2019s Greatest Enemy screenings<\/strong><\/p>\n
1 & 7 pm, The Chelsea Theater, 1129 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill
\nGeneral Admission ~ Tickets at the Door<\/p>\n
Hosts NC Peace Action, Veterans for Peace, and Women\u2019s International League for Peace and Freedom – Triangle, invite you to a special one-day-only screening of “Earth\u2019s Greatest Enemy” (2025), an independent film that explores the intersection of militarism and our global climate crisis. General Admission ~ Tickets at the door.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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May 13, Enbridge Pipeline Proposed in Chatham County – Community Meeting<\/strong><\/div>\n
6-8 pm, Forest Hall at Chatham Mills, 480 Hillsboro St, Suite 530, Pittsboro<\/div>\n
Enbridge is proposing a new fracked gas pipeline in Chatham County that could potentially cross the Haw River! More information and registration link here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
Lisa Sorg\u2019s article about this “A New Enbridge Pipeline Spurs Opposition in Central North Carolina” here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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May 17, Walk in the Woods with Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle and Other Lovers of Creation<\/strong><\/div>\n
2-4 pm, Umstead Park, Rte. 1-40 exit, Harrison Avenue entrance, Raleigh<\/div>\n
This walk aims to encourage participants to slow down and take the time to experience the park through all five senses, Register here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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May 19th-June 16th, Building Powerful Campaigns against AI Data Centers: Organizing Training Series<\/strong><\/div>\n
6-8 pm, Tuesdays, [five sessions]<\/div>\n
The Data Center Working Group, Kairos Fellowship, and Fight Oligarchy team are offering a five-part training series to support organizing and campaign efforts to stop the expansion of data centers. Each session covers key skills and techniques to help groups build winning coalitions, strategies, and campaigns. Sessions have a progressive structure with each workshop building upon the previous one, as well as individual workshops can be taken as standalones. This series is part of the larger work of building a movement to advance an alternative vision of a society where our communities determine their own economies and futures. Register here<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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TAKE ACTION! <\/strong><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n
Urge Your Members of Congress to Oppose Big Oil Immunity <\/strong>here<\/a>!<\/div>\n
Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Hageman have introduced a bill that would give Big Oil a get-out-of-jail-free card. The \u201cBig Oil Immunity\u201d bill would preempt initiatives at the state level and local level to make polluters pay for climate damages. After you have sent your email, also give them a call!<\/div>\n
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Tell governments: ensure affordable renewable energy for all <\/strong>here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Act Now: Forest Defense is Climate Defense <\/strong>here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Congress: Sponsor the AI Data Center Moratorium Act!<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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They Profit, We Pay. Fix It Now.<\/strong><\/div>\n
This war is their business and our pain. Our governments must end the war, tax the profits and invest in people and the planet. 350.org<\/a> joined 130+ organizations in an open letter with 4 clear demands: end the war, tax profiteers, cancel debt and secure food and energy for all. They profit, we pay. It\u2019s time to change that. More info here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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ARTICLES and VIDEOS<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Protesters push back against \u2018fossil fuels from hell\u2019 during Duke Energy rate hike<\/strong>hearing <\/strong>by Zackary Turner here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Duke Energy\u2019s ELNG Concept: First = Expensive and Risky<\/strong> by Shelley Robbins here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Climate Protest at NC Governor\u2019s Mansion Begins Campaign of Civil Disobedience<\/strong> \u2014 NC WARN news release <\/span>here<\/a>. <\/span><\/div>\n
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North Carolina MUST NOT Repeat Georgia\u2019s Nuclear Blunder<\/strong>: New Nuclear is a High-Risk Approach<\/div>\n
to Meeting Electricity Demand. An assessment for NC WARN by Bill Powers here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n

Rural North Carolina fights back against PFAS contamination<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tiny North Carolina town takes a big step toward geothermal energy<\/strong> by Elizabeth Ouzts here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Dangerous heavy rains are getting more likely and widespread <\/strong>by Jeff Masters here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
Seven of the top 11 highest-volume precipitation events over the past 77 years have occurred just in the past 10 years.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Cities are rehearsing for deadly heat. Will it help when disaster comes?<\/strong> By Natalie Donback here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Citing ‘Irreversible Harm,’ 100+ Groups Urge Congress to Reject Rushed Data Center Approvals<\/strong> by Brett Wilkins here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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\u201cLawmakers must prioritize public health, environmental sustainability, and community resilience, and reject rollbacks that hand corporations unchecked control over land, energy, and local resources.\u201d (350 Triangle joined others in this letter.)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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City of Durham Passes 60-Day Data Center Moratorium<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

City Councilmember Nate Baker, who proposed the moratorium, acknowledged the timeline change before the meeting, saying conversations about a prolonged ban would continue.<\/p>\n

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Harnett County Imposes Moratorium On Data Centers<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Clean energy groups push back on North Carolina regulators’ solar energy pause<\/strong> by Zackary Taylor here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Duke Energy Received Tax Breaks on Its Three N.C. Data Centers <\/strong>by Lisa Sorg here<\/a>.<\/span><\/div>\n
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The Dark Side of the Data Center Boom<\/strong> by Melissa Garriga here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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New study raises heat island concerns as NC data center boom grows<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

Big Tech’s ‘False Solutions’ to the Climate Crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nuclear power, carbon capture, and AI: what do these things have in common? They’re all false solutions big tech wants us to think will help solve the climate crisis it is worsening through its data centers\u2019 emissions. Learn more in Kairos’ new report here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Recording of Big Tech\u2019s False Solutions to the Climate Crisis\u201d Launch Event<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Recording of Debunking Data Centers: Jobs and Labor<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Data Center Tax Breaks Becoming Billion-Dollar Budget Sinkholes<\/strong> by Anthony Elmo here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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U.S. Court of Appeals Denies Stays for Virginia DEQ and North Carolina DEQ MVP Southgate 401 Certifications<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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From Indigenous Environmental Network: Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Thanks for reading and for taking action. Take care of yourselves!<\/div>\n
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Peace and love for our beautiful Earth, Karen<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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