North Carolina stands at a crossroads in energy policy. As Duke Energy charts its course for the next decade, state regulators and lawmakers must ensure that ratepayers are protected while the state transitions to cleaner energy sources. The Carbon Plan process has highlighted the tension between reliability, affordability, and sustainability. Smart policy means investing in solar and storage where it makes economic sense, maintaining grid reliability, and ensuring that the costs of this transition do not fall disproportionately on low-income ratepayers. North Carolina can lead the Southeast in clean energy — but only with thoughtful, evidence-based policy.