Google, Facebook and Apple have co-signed a letter opposing H.B.332 and any changes in North Carolina's clean energy policies, including the state's renewable energy and energy-efficiency portfolio standard (REPS).

The corporate giants write that North Carolina's REPS was the reason they chose to bring their businesses to the state, as opposed to other southeastern states that also have low electricity rates.

Specifically, the tech giants are concerned with the language contained in H.B.332 (originally found in H.B.760), which the tech giants assert would have a significant negative impact on the availability of a clean and diversified energy supply in the state.

‘We are concerned the legislation would freeze the REPS, which provides a steadily increasing baseline of clean energy for the North Carolina grid over time. We believe the REPSÂ should be maintained because our collective experience shows that programs like the REPS can actually reduce the overall cost of energy to ratepayers.’