Dive Summary:

• Utilities regulators in North Carolina are investigating Duke Energy’s sudden post-merger CEO swap to determine if Duke mislead either regulators or consumers before making the move.
• The commission in charge of the investigation plans to task an outside law firm with reviewing internal documents once they are received.
• The regulatory body’s chairman gave Duke a “very strong suggestion” that it should offer settlement terms prior to a ruling on the matter.

From the article:

The investigation into whether regulators and consumers were misled in the run-up to the merger of two Fortune 500 energy companies could continue quietly for months after a deadline arrives next week.

North Carolina utilities regulators and the state's attorney general have demanded internal documents and other evidence by Aug. 7 involving Duke Energy Corp. and its surprise decision to change a key detail of its Progress Energy Inc. takeover, even as regulators were considering approval. ...