Kinda a no brainer. Duke Energy almost doubles itself — adding Progress’ 3.1 million customers and 22,000 megawatt capacity to its own 4 million customers and 35,000 megawatt capacity — while sucking a corp HQ out of nearby Raleigh.

To me the only downside is taking on the $12b. in debt while the scandal plagued, multi-billion dollar Indiana coal gasification saga continues to unfold. But then again, perhaps unknowns with the ultimate costs there helped move Jim Rogers to pull the trigger on grabbing more customers while he could.

And get ready for the Uptown rah-rah team to backflip for a week on this news, flashback to the heady days of Hugh McColl buying everything in sight.