NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund Engages Voters Concerned with Rising Electricity Costs in Key Primary Victories

NC Primary Candidates Reps. Johnson, Schietzelt, and Strickland all re-elected, thanks in part to their pragmatic, customer focused approach to energy.

Across the country, residential households are experiencing rapidly increasing electricity rates, outpacing the overall rate of inflation, and the primary drivers of inflation themselves, including groceries, rent, and gasoline. This reflects a nearly 23%, on average, increase in electricity rates for households across the state of North Carolina since 2020. With this unprecedented rise in rates, constituents are growing increasingly frustrated with utility bills that seem to be continuously rising each month. This frustration is reflected in recent polling conducted by American Energy First, which showed 69% of voters were concerned about their electricity bills, and that 56% of respondents say their top concern for the country is “economic issues like inflation, cost of living, and jobs.”   

This growing trend and increasing concern around rising electricity rates led to the creation of the NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund – a non-partisan, non-profit organization focused on driving forward policy solutions that place consumers at the center of North Carolina’s energy future. We aim to advance practical energy solutions that strengthen North Carolina’s economy, protect consumers, and promote energy independence. The Leadership Fund engaged for the first time in elections, investing in independent expenditures to support Representatives Jake Johnson, Mike Scheitzelt and Larry Strickland. Each member achieved overwhelming victories in their primary races in part due to campaigning on affordability and rising costs.  

It was evident this year in North Carolina’s primary elections that voters were eager to support candidates who emphasized the need for smart energy policy prioritizing lower electricity rates and reliability moving forward. This was especially apparent as voters re-elected candidates like Representative Jake Johnson, Mike Schietzelt, and Larry Strickland, who have consistently demonstrated a desire to make North Carolina one of the best states in the country to do business while keeping electricity rates as low as possible for households. This leadership and commitment to North Carolinians will be so imperative as we step into this next phase of our electricity future.  

The NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund will continue to highlight and support candidates like Representatives Johnson, Schietzelt, and Strickland moving forward given their consumer and business-friendly approach to energy in North Carolina.  

This approach to leadership in energy will be instrumental as NCSEA LF looks to spearhead solutions like Behind the Meter Freedom, Industrial Energy Independence, and Permitting Reform. Each of these solutions prioritizes lowering costs for North Carolinians, cutting red tape, and addressing speed to market to ensure businesses continue to invest in the state moving forward. For more information about the NC Sustainable Energy Association Leadership Fund and our customer-focused energy solutions, visit www.energyncleadership.org.