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Lynn Good
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Lynn Good
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Lynn J. Good (born 1959 or 1960[2]) is an American business executive who was the president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy between 2013 and 2025.[3] Good is an Ohio native and graduated from Miami University where she earned a BS in Systems Analysis and Accounting (1981).[1] In 2023, she ranked 65th in Forbes list of "World's 100 most powerful women".[3] She was ranked 31st on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in 2023.[4]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Good grew up in Fairfield, Ohio. Her father was a math teacher who later became a high school principal. She earned degrees in accounting and systems analysis from Miami University.[5]

Career

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Early career

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Good became an auditor at the Cincinnati branch of Arthur Andersen & Co. While at Andersen, Good broke the barrier to females playing major roles in auditing when she participated in the audit of Andersen's most prestigious account, Cincinnati Gas & Electric.[6] Good rose to supervise that audit, and in 1992 she became one of Andersen's few women partners.[5] In 2002 she became a partner at Deloitte.[7][8]

Cinergy

[edit]

Following the collapse of Arthur Andersen in 2002, Good joined Cinergy Corp. as senior vice president of accounting and finance. In 2005, Good was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Cinergy. In 2006, following the merger of Cinergy into Duke Energy, Good was named senior vice president and treasurer of Duke in the company's Charlotte, North Carolina, headquarters. She went on to head the unregulated commercial business. Good was named Duke's executive vice president and chief financial officer as of July 2009.[8] She began to make large investments in renewable energy such as wind and solar facilities that sell their power to utilities and towns.[5]

Duke Energy

[edit]

In 2011 Duke of Charlotte and Progress Energy of Raleigh agreed to merge. The deal stipulated that Progress CEO Bill Johnson was to replace Duke CEO Jim Rogers. But in June 2012, on the day that the deal closed, the board fired Johnson and re-hired Rogers instead. North Carolina regulators, following an investigation, reached an agreement with Duke in which the company was required to choose a new CEO by the middle of 2013. Good was selected by a board composed of both Duke and Progress members.[5] Lynn Good became CEO of Duke Energy on July 1, 2013.[5] Good was also elected to the Duke board. In 2016, she was elected chairman of the board. In 2018, Duke Energy awarded Good just under $14 million in total compensation.[9]

Energy policy positions

[edit]

The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) held a wide-ranging interview with Good on June 21, 2018; among the topics were carbon capture and sequestration.[10] Carbon capture and storage technology can capture up to 90 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions made from a fossil fuels electricity generation plant, thus releasing much less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.[11] Good told CSIS that the carbon capture and sequestration process was not quite ready for general use, even though it has the potential to keep fossil fuels in the power-generation mix. According to Daily Energy Insider, "On paper, a gas or coal plant that does not release carbon dioxide into the air would be a logical asset to fill in any lags in purely green power production”, but Good indicated that while Duke was still collaborating on various research projects involving carbon capture, the big breakthroughs necessary to launch a commercially viable carbon-capture plant were not yet in sight."[10]

Other affiliations

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Good was a member of the board of the Cincinnati Ballet for about eight years, from the 1990s,[8] and has been a member of the board of directors at Boeing since 2015.[12] She is on the board of directors of the Business Roundtable and has served as chair of its Smart Regulation Committee since 2020.[13]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Lynn Good

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Lynn J. Good is an American who served as , president, and of Corporation, one of the largest investor-owned electric utilities in the United States, from 2013 until her retirement on April 1, 2025. A 1981 graduate of with a degree in and accounting, Good began her utility career at Cinergy Corporation in 1981, rising through roles in commercial businesses before the company's 2006 merger with . She advanced to executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2009, overseeing financial strategy amid post-merger integration and economic recovery efforts. During her tenure as CEO, Good directed Duke Energy's investments exceeding billions in capacity, grid modernization, and infrastructure to support a managed transition from coal-fired generation while prioritizing reliability and affordability for 8.4 million customers across six states. The company achieved notable reductions in carbon emissions through these shifts, positioning it as a leader in utility-scale clean energy deployment despite regulatory hurdles and supply chain constraints. Good's leadership earned industry accolades, including the Edison Electric Institute's Thomas A. Edison Legacy Award in recognition of her advancements in solutions and the Distinguished Leadership Award for her role as EEI chair. Her , which reached $21.4 million in some years, reflected performance incentives tied to operational and shareholder metrics common in the sector. Her time at the helm also involved addressing inherited environmental liabilities, such as the 2014 Dan River coal ash spill, which drew federal scrutiny and led to remediation costs and fines for violations under prior oversight, alongside protests from environmental groups over fossil fuel dependencies and rate impacts.

Personal Background

Early Life

Lynn Good grew up in , where her childhood was marked by the influence of parents born during the , fostering a rigorous centered on and . Her father, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, transitioned to a career as a high school principal, demonstrating a commitment to education and support for underprivileged students that shaped of perseverance and opportunity. As the youngest daughter in this "no-excuses" household, Good experienced an upbringing emphasizing hard work, accountability, and unwavering family backing amid everyday challenges.

Education

Lynn Good earned dual degrees in and from in . She graduated in 1981, following an undergraduate path that equipped her with quantitative and financial skills applicable to her subsequent career in and . No advanced degrees, such as an MBA or JD, are documented in her professional biographies from corporate or alumni records.

Professional Career

Early Roles at Cinergy

Lynn Good joined Cinergy Corporation, a Cincinnati-based electric and gas utility, in 2003, marking her entry into the utility sector after two decades in public accounting. Her initial role was as , Controller, and , where she oversaw financial reporting, internal controls, and functions. This position leveraged her prior experience as a partner at and , firms that had audited Cinergy's predecessor entities. In August 2005, Good was promoted to Executive Vice President and of Cinergy, succeeding in a role responsible for the company's overall financial strategy, , and treasury operations. Under her leadership in this capacity through the 2006 merger with , Cinergy navigated financial preparations for the integration, including debt management and guidance amid rising volatility. These early roles positioned her as a key financial architect during Cinergy's final independent years, emphasizing rigorous accounting standards in a deregulating industry.

Integration into Duke Energy

Following the merger of Cinergy Corporation with Corporation, completed in April 2006, Lynn Good transitioned from her role as executive vice president and at Cinergy to senior vice president and treasurer at the combined , headquartered in . In this capacity, she oversaw treasury operations for the enlarged utility, which served approximately 4 million electric customers across multiple states and managed assets valued at over $50 billion post-merger. Good's financial expertise from Cinergy contributed to stabilizing the merged entity's amid integration challenges, including harmonizing across jurisdictions and optimizing in a period of rising energy demands and post-merger redundancies. By 2009, her performance in these roles led to her promotion to executive vice president and chief financial officer of , where she directed broader financial planning, including debt management and for the integrated operations. This progression underscored her adaptation to Duke's corporate structure, shifting from a regional focus at Cinergy to enterprise-wide responsibilities in a national-scale .

Executive Positions Pre-CEO

Good joined Cinergy Corporation in May 2003 as and controller, following a career in public accounting that included a at . In September 2005, she was promoted to executive and of Cinergy, overseeing treasury, finance, and accounting functions until the company's merger with in April 2006. Following the merger, Good transitioned to as senior vice president and treasurer, managing the combined entity's financial operations during the integration period. She later advanced to group executive and president of 's Commercial Businesses organization, where she led the development and oversight of the company's non-regulated commercial energy segments, including wholesale power marketing and trading activities. In July 2009, Good was appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer of , a role she held until , during which she directed enterprise-wide financial strategy, , and amid post-merger restructuring and economic recovery efforts. Her tenure as emphasized cost controls and capital allocation, contributing to 's financial stability as it navigated regulatory changes and investments.

CEO Tenure and Key Decisions (2013–2025)

Lynn Good assumed the role of president and of on July 1, 2013, following her election by the board on June 18, 2013, succeeding amid post-merger stabilization efforts from the 2012 Duke-Progress Energy combination. Under her leadership, shifted toward a fully regulated , divesting unregulated commercial operations, including the $2.8 billion sale of its utility-scale renewables business to Brookfield Renewable in 2023 to prioritize grid investments and customer service in regulated markets. This transition emphasized reliability and affordability amid rising demand, with Good overseeing the acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas for $4.9 billion in cash (completed October 2016), expanding 's distribution to over 1 million customers across seven states. Good directed substantial capital expenditures to modernize infrastructure, announcing in 2022 a $145 billion over the subsequent decade for grid enhancements, renewables, , and battery storage to support load growth projected at 1.5-2% annually through 2028. In strategies, she advanced retirements, reducing coal-fired generation from over 20,000 MW in 2013 to planning full exit by 2035, including 965 MW of additional units by end-2025, while committing to double solar and capacity to over 16 GW by 2030 and integrating 2.8 GW of battery storage. However, facing surging demand from centers and , Duke under Good adjusted plans in 2024-2025 to delay some retirements and accelerate additions, building over 5 GW of new gas capacity to ensure reliability, as reductions reached only 5% of generation by 2030 targets. Financially, Duke's adjusted rose from $3.36 in 2013 to $5.90 in 2024, reflecting steady growth driven by regulated rate base expansion and dividend increases to $1.045 per share quarterly by 2025. The company's expanded from approximately $55 billion in mid-2013 to over $99 billion by October 2025, with total shareholder returns averaging 8-10% annually including dividends, supported by North Carolina's 2022 regulatory overhaul enabling multi-year rate plans and carbon compliance cost recovery. Good's tenure culminated in her retirement announcement on January 13, 2025, effective April 1, 2025, with Harry Sideris succeeding her, after transforming into a grid-focused entity positioned for sustained demand growth.

Retirement Announcement (2025)

On January 13, 2025, Duke Energy announced that Lynn Good would retire from her roles as chair of the board and chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2025. The company stated that Good, who had served as CEO since 2013, would step down after more than 11 years in the position and nearly 20 years of overall service with Duke Energy, including prior roles following the 2006 merger with Cinergy. The board appointed Harry Sideris, Duke Energy's current president and a 29-year company veteran, as her successor in both the CEO and chair positions, also effective April 1, 2025. Sideris, who oversees the company's commercial operations, customer service, and regulated utilities across six states, was selected for his deep operational experience and alignment with Duke Energy's strategic priorities in energy infrastructure and reliability. The announcement emphasized a seamless transition, with Good remaining in her role through the first quarter to support continuity amid ongoing investments in grid modernization and clean energy initiatives. Good's retirement caps her tenure as the first woman to lead the Fortune 500 utility, during which achieved record earnings growth, expanded its generation capacity by over 10,000 megawatts, and navigated regulatory challenges in carbon reduction and renewable integration. No specific personal reasons for her departure were detailed in the official release, though industry observers noted the timing aligns with her age of 65 and the company's strong financial position, including a exceeding $80 billion as of early 2025. The move was framed by leadership as an opportunity to build on Good's legacy of operational resilience and .

Leadership Achievements

Financial and Operational Milestones

Under Lynn Good's leadership as CEO since June 2013, achieved steady financial growth, including adjusted (EPS) rising from $3.57 in 2013 to $5.90 in 2024, supported by regulatory approvals and capital deployment. The company increased its five-year plan multiple times, reaching $73 billion in 2024 to fund grid modernization and generation additions, driving projected 5-7% annual adjusted earnings growth through 2026. In 2023, reported attributable to common stockholders of $2.735 billion, up from $2.444 billion in 2022, with total operating revenues of $29.060 billion. Operationally, Good oversaw the 2023 divestiture of the commercial renewables business for $1.25 billion, transitioning to a fully regulated and eliminating earnings volatility from merchant operations. The company added 195,000 customers in 2023—the largest annual increase in its history—amid 1.5-2% projected load growth through 2028, while securing $45 billion in rate base investments through rate cases in the , , and . Capital expenditures totaled $12.604 billion in 2023, focused on transmission, distribution, and environmental compliance, contributing to a 96% nuclear fleet and a record-low total incident case rate of 0.31 for safety performance. Duke Energy maintained its dividend streak, marking the 97th consecutive annual increase in 2023 at over 2%, with a targeted 60-70% payout ratio, while outperforming the Utility Index by 8 percentage points and the S&P Utilities sector by over 5 points that year. Key regulatory milestones included a 2022 overhaul of utility rules enabling multi-year rate plans and the approval of a $4.6 billion capital plan for Carolinas through 2026. These efforts supported cumulative capital investments exceeding $100 billion during Good's tenure, enhancing system reliability amid rising demand from and data centers.

Infrastructure and Energy Investments

Under Lynn Good's leadership as CEO from 2013 to 2025, executed multiple multi-billion-dollar capital plans emphasizing grid resilience, renewable integration, and to support reliable power delivery amid growing demand and regulatory pressures. A key 2017 announcement outlined $11 billion in investments over the subsequent decade for renewables and generation, alongside grid enhancements to facilitate a low-carbon transition without compromising affordability. This approach reflected a pragmatic balance, prioritizing dispatchable for baseload stability while expanding intermittent renewables, as evidenced by subsequent plans directing the majority of expenditures toward regulated . By 2020, reaffirmed a $56 billion five-year capital plan, with significant allocations for grid modernization projects including advanced metering, transmission upgrades, and technologies to enhance reliability and integrate distributed energy resources. This was followed in 2021 by a $59 billion commitment through 2024, approximately 70% focused on regulated electric and gas infrastructure, enabling the company to retire older units while adding over 6,000 megawatts of solar capacity and battery storage. Grid-specific initiatives under Good included investments in high-voltage transmission lines and substation reinforcements, aimed at reducing outage durations and accommodating trends like electric vehicles, as part of a broader $100 million-plus pledge in 2022 for fleet transitions and grid hardening. Energy investments diversified across fuel sources, with a 2022 $63 billion plan funneling the bulk toward carbon reduction via , and gas-fired plants, projecting 5-7% annual earnings growth through 2026. A $45 billion blueprint through 2025 prioritized renewables and storage alongside grid upgrades, contributing to Duke's addition of thousands of megawatts in utility-scale solar farms in the and . expansions, including pipeline infrastructure, underscored Good's emphasis on fuel diversity for , with investments supporting over 10 gigawatts of combined-cycle capacity to meet peak loads reliably. These efforts, drawn from regulated rate cases and shareholder-approved strategies, delivered measurable outcomes like improved system efficiency but faced scrutiny over cost recovery amid rising customer bills.

Industry Recognitions

In 2021, Good received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the (EEI), the trade association representing U.S. investor-owned electric utilities, recognizing her dedication and service to the electric power industry and its customers. That same year, she was honored with the Legend in Leadership Award by the Chief Executive Leadership Institute at , acknowledging her contributions to corporate leadership in energy. In March 2025, the EEI Board of Directors presented Good with the Thomas A. Edison Legacy Award, one of the industry's highest honors, for her decades-long leadership in advancing electric utility operations, innovation, and reliability amid evolving energy demands. Later that year, on June 17, she was named the 2025 Citizen of the Carolinas by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the organization's top accolade, citing her role in driving economic growth, sustainability efforts, and community impact through Duke Energy's operations in the region. Additionally, in January 2025, Good earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Charlotte Business Journal's Women in Business program, highlighting her sustained executive influence in the utility sector.

Energy Policy Positions

Approach to Energy Transition

Under Lynn Good's leadership, Duke Energy committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from electric generation by 2050, emphasizing a balanced portfolio that includes renewables, , and to ensure grid reliability and affordability. In , Good described this as making "a cleaner future a " through a diverse energy mix, rejecting an over-reliance on intermittent renewables alone. The company's strategy targeted exceeding a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 relative to 2005 levels, with interim goals of 80% reduction for electricity operations, alongside plans to retire all coal-fired units by 2035. Good has advocated for an "all-of-the-above" approach, integrating 6,000 MW of new and solar capacity by 2025 and scaling to 14,000 MW by 2030, while maintaining as a bridge and nuclear as a baseload essential. In 2022, she stated that "no technology can replace nuclear energy today," underscoring its role in low-carbon generation amid rising demand. This pragmatism prioritizes system modernization over accelerated decarbonization that could compromise stability, as evidenced by Duke's $45 billion capital plan through 2025 focused on renewables, storage, and grid upgrades without phasing out gas prematurely. By 2025, amid regulatory shifts in that removed a 70% carbon reduction mandate, adjusted its public emphasis, omitting explicit targets in earnings releases while continuing gas to meet demand growth projected at 2-2.5% annually. Good's framework thus reflects causal constraints of physics—intermittency risks from renewables necessitate dispatchable sources—over ideologically driven timelines, as she affirmed in that the transition must keep "reliability, affordability, and accessibility at the forefront." This stance has drawn criticism from environmental advocates for insufficient renewable prioritization, yet aligns with empirical needs for baseload capacity amid trends.

Stance on Renewables, Natural Gas, and Nuclear

Lynn Good has consistently advocated for an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy at , emphasizing a balanced mix of renewables, , and to ensure reliability, affordability, and progress toward carbon reduction goals during the transition from . This approach, articulated in shareholder meetings and interviews, prioritizes diverse sources to meet growing demand, particularly from data centers and , while avoiding over-reliance on intermittent renewables. On renewables, Good has overseen significant investments in solar and battery storage as part of Duke's commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with the company adding thousands of megawatts of solar capacity across its service territories. She has highlighted North Carolina's leadership in deployment, crediting state policies and Duke's execution for positioning the utility as a frontrunner in clean energy integration. However, Good has stressed that renewables alone cannot suffice without complementary dispatchable resources, citing their variability and the need for grid stability amid surging projected to grow eightfold in the by 2038. Regarding , Good has defended its critical role as a bridge fuel in the , enabling the retirement of plants while providing reliable baseload power to backstop renewables. In 2020, she expressed disappointment at what she described as an "assault" on during Duke's annual , arguing that it remains essential alongside solar and to achieve emissions reductions without compromising service. Under her , Duke has continued constructing facilities, including to address rising demand, while pursuing net-zero from its gas operations by 2030. Good has been a vocal proponent of nuclear energy, underscoring its importance for low-carbon, reliable baseload generation that renewables cannot replicate. In the , where nuclear supplies approximately half of Duke's electricity, she has supported relicensing existing plants and exploring advanced nuclear technologies to meet decarbonization targets, stating that emissions goals cannot be achieved without it. She has prioritized nuclear safety as "job one," aligning with Duke's operational focus on maintaining high-capacity factors at its fleet of reactors. This stance reflects a pragmatic view that nuclear must expand alongside other sources to handle load growth and ensure .

Regulatory and Carbon Reduction Strategies

Under Lynn Good's leadership, Duke Energy established a goal in September 2019 to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from electric generation by 2050, accelerating from prior commitments with an interim target of at least 50% reduction by 2030 relative to 2005 baseline levels. The strategy emphasizes phased coal plant retirements, aiming for complete elimination by 2035, alongside expansions in natural gas infrastructure as a transitional fuel, solar and wind capacity additions, and preservation of existing nuclear assets to maintain grid reliability. By 2023, the company reported carbon emissions from its U.S. operations had declined nearly 50% since 2005, attributed to these shifts and operational efficiencies. In October 2022, reaffirmed its trajectory to exceed the 50% reduction by 2030 and set additional interim milestones, including an 80% cut in Scope 1 emissions by 2040, integrated into its Carbon Reduction Plan filings with regulators. These efforts involve substantial capital investments—projected at over $145 billion through 2031 across regulated utilities—for grid modernization, battery storage, and demand-side management to enable higher renewable penetration without compromising service. Good has described this as a "balanced" approach, prioritizing technology-neutral solutions over mandates that could strain affordability or reliability, as evidenced by integrated resource plans (IRPs) filed in states like and that model multiple decarbonization scenarios. On regulatory matters, Good endorsed the U.S. Agency's (EPA) 2015 , stating it aligned with Duke's ongoing emissions reductions and encouraged further utility-sector collaboration on compliance pathways. The company routinely submits detailed proposals to state commissions, such as the May 2022 plan outlining phase-outs and clean energy alternatives for regulatory approval, emphasizing cost recovery for investments via rate cases. However, amid evolving federal policies, Duke's 2024-2025 IRPs have incorporated increased capacity to address risks from renewables, prompting scrutiny from environmental advocates who argue it delays deeper cuts; Good has countered that such flexibility is essential for regulatory approvals ensuring long-term feasibility. In February 2025 disclosures, the company omitted explicit references to prior emissions targets in earnings materials while advancing gas-fired generation, reflecting a pragmatic adaptation to regulatory and market constraints over rigid timelines.

Controversies and Criticisms

Environmental Incidents and Responses

In February 2014, a stormwater pipe beneath a coal ash impoundment at Duke Energy's Dan River Steam Station in Eden, North Carolina, ruptured, releasing approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash and 27 million gallons of wastewater into the Dan River over six days. The incident contaminated sediments downstream for miles, raising concerns about heavy metals such as arsenic and selenium affecting aquatic life and potential groundwater infiltration, though no widespread drinking water contamination was reported in immediate downstream communities. The Dan River spill triggered a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into compliance at multiple facilities, resulting in subsidiaries pleading guilty in May 2015 to nine counts for illegal discharges of coal ash pollutants, including four directly tied to the Dan River event. The company was fined $68 million in criminal penalties, ordered to spend $34 million on environmental mitigation projects, and placed on five years' with enhanced compliance monitoring. Separately, agreed to a $3 million EPA settlement requiring comprehensive riverbed assessments, removal of accessible coal ash deposits, and long-term monitoring. Additional incidents included contamination and seeps from unlined ash basins at sites like the Buck Steam Station, where leaks into the were documented in 2014, prompting state enforcement actions. In September 2018, caused a dam breach at the Sutton plant near , releasing wastewater from a ash basin into the , though the volume of ash mobilized was limited compared to Dan River. Duke Energy's responses emphasized structural remediation and regulatory settlements, including the excavation of over 80 million tons of coal ash from unlined ponds to lined landfills across sites, marking the largest such effort in U.S. history by 2024, with completions at facilities like Riverbend and Asheville. The company formed an independent expert panel in 2014 to oversee ash management strategies and invested in basin closures, with CEO Lynn Good stating in 2014 that ratepayers would fund the multibillion-dollar cleanups to ensure safe disposal. Post-2014, Duke reported broader environmental compliance gains, such as a 48% reduction in carbon emissions from electric generation since 2005 by 2024, alongside emissions control upgrades at coal plants. These measures addressed EPA and state mandates but drew criticism from advocacy groups for initial delays in disclosures and reliance on ratepayer funding.

Safety and Oversight Allegations

In February 2014, shortly after Lynn Good assumed the role of CEO, Duke Energy experienced a major coal ash spill at its Dan River Steam Station in Eden, North Carolina, releasing approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash and 27 million gallons of wastewater into the Dan River, contaminating over 70 miles of waterway. The incident stemmed from a pipe failure beneath an unlined ash pond, highlighting longstanding issues with coal ash storage practices at Duke facilities. In response, Duke Energy agreed to a $3 million cleanup settlement with the EPA and faced state lawsuits alleging groundwater contamination and unlawful discharges at multiple sites. The spill prompted federal criminal charges in May 2015, leading to plead guilty to nine violations related to the Dan River event and prior coal ash handling deficiencies, resulting in a $102 million settlement. As accountability measures, Good's 2014 compensation was reduced by approximately $600,000, reflecting board scrutiny over operational oversight failures. Shareholders filed a in May 2014 against Good, other executives, and directors, alleging breaches of fiduciary duty in failing to prevent environmental harms from coal ash mismanagement. Nuclear safety allegations emerged more prominently in recent years under Good's tenure. In May 2025, whistleblowers, including a nuclear safety official, accused of retaliating against employees who raised concerns about safety lapses at plants, such as inadequate maintenance and risk assessments, amid proposed federal oversight reductions by the NRC. Critics linked these claims to a pattern of prioritizing over rigorous safety protocols, though Duke maintained compliance with NRC standards and emphasized its strong safety record. Additional regulatory notices from PHMSA in 2019 cited violations at Duke subsidiaries for failing to incorporate safety data into pipeline integrity management, underscoring broader oversight gaps in infrastructure monitoring.

Compensation and Political Influence Claims

Lynn Good's total compensation as Duke Energy CEO has drawn criticism for its scale relative to company performance and public priorities. In 2023, she received $20.6 million in total pay, including a $1.5 million base salary and significant stock awards, marking a slight decrease from prior years but still ranking her among the highest-paid utility executives. Her 2024 compensation rose to $21.28 million, comprising $1.5 million in salary, bonuses, and other incentives, which critics attributed to executive raises amid rollbacks in diversity and environmental pay incentives at utilities. South Carolina regulators in 2019 labeled Duke Energy's executive pay decisions "tone deaf," highlighting Good's then-$18.5 million package—including $1.34 million base salary and $17.2 million in stock—as excessive given ratepayer burdens and operational challenges. A 2023 report further criticized such high CEO salaries at utilities like Duke for occurring alongside inadequate investments in sustainable energy transitions, positioning Good's pay as emblematic of misaligned incentives. Claims of political influence center on Good's role in Duke Energy's and campaign contributions, which have been accused of advancing corporate interests over public or environmental ones. As CEO, Good has overseen Duke's (PAC), which received donations from her personally, including contributions listed in federal records. In 2021, Duke executives, including Good, donated over $120,000 in October alone to politicians supporting legislation favored by the company, such as utility rate hikes and restrictions on renewables, amid a surge in corporate political spending. groups have sought limits on Duke's expenditures, criticizing the company's influence under Good's , including opposition to solar access expansions and promotion of infrastructure. Duke's PAC resumed contributions to lawmakers involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, a move scrutinized for prioritizing political alignment over democratic norms, though Good has publicly emphasized business-focused strategies over partisan debates. These activities have fueled allegations of , as seen in complaints linking Duke's engagements with state officials to favorable policy outcomes, such as approvals.

Other Affiliations

Corporate Board Roles

Lynn Good joined the board of directors of on August 13, 2015, shortly after becoming CEO of . In this role, she contributes expertise in executive leadership, , , and safety, serving on Boeing's audit and finance committees. On June 16, 2025, Good was elected to the board of directors of , expanding the board to 15 members. This appointment followed her departure from in April 2025, where she had served as chair, president, and CEO.

Industry Leadership Positions

Lynn Good served as chairman of the (EEI), the primary trade association representing U.S. investor-owned electric utilities, from June 2018 onward during her tenure at . In the nuclear energy sector, Good previously chaired the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing safety and reliability at plants through peer reviews and best practices sharing. She also held a position on the board of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), an international body focused on improving nuclear safety worldwide via operational exchanges and assessments among its members. These roles positioned Good as a key influencer in shaping industry standards for electric utilities and nuclear operations, emphasizing reliability, , and amid evolving demands.

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