Jim Rogers, CEO, chairman and president of Duke Energy Inc., spoke at Appalachian State University as the featured speaker at the Harlen Boyles CEO Lecture Series, presented by Walker College of Business.

"The challenge is the uncertainty that we face with respect to environmental regulations on coal, uncertainty about whether solar and wind prices will come down and be more affordable and our ability to integrate them into the system. Uncertainty with respect about how used fuel is handled from nuclear plants, and whether or not there will be legislation that puts a price on carbon. So we face a lot of uncertainties in terms of our choice to build.

But our mission statement, and my deep conviction, is that in the 21st century we’re going to build a company predicated on principals of sustainability."