Gov. Roy Cooper nominated three new members of the North Carolina Utilities Commission last week. If they win legislative confirmation, the commission could take a more skeptical look at future Duke Energy rate hike requests.

The three nominees would replace sitting commissioners whose terms are expiring and who have been criticized as too quick to side with the power company on judgment-call questions, including the current commission chair. Cooper’s nominees are Sen. Floyd McKissick (D-Durham), who has a lifetime 80% pro-environment score from NCLCV; Kimberly Duffley, a senior staff attorney for the Utilities Commission; and Jeff Hughes, an engineer at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The Utilities Commission hears and decides rate cases and rule-making to govern the public utility companies that provide electric and natural gas service in North Carolina. Commissioners are nominated by the governor, but must be confirmed by the General Assembly in order to serve.

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