Duke Energy customers in NC to pay higher electric bills, but it could have been more
Higher rates for Duke Energy customers will go into effect starting Tuesday.
In a news release, Duke Energy said rates will increase an average of 4.7% across all of its customer groups. For a typical residential customer, that will bring the average monthly power bill up to just under $120 — an increase of about $6, the utility said.
The increase for individual customer groups will vary, depending on the rate they pay, Duke said. The average rate increase will be 5.3% for residential customers, 4.7% for commercial customers and 3.6% for industrial customers.
The new rates were approved earlier this year by the N.C. Utilities Commission.
Duke Energy had initially requested a significantly larger rate increase to help pay for cleaning up coal ash at its plants. But the Charlotte-based utility agreed to a settlement earlier this year that will save North Carolina customers more than $1.1 billion in costs.
The utilities commission approved several Duke Energy proposals to reduce the impact of rising costs on low-income customers, the utility said. Duke Energy shareholders, for instance, will contribute $5 million over two year to the “Share the Warmth,” program, which provides financial assistance to low-income families who struggle to pay their heating bills.
Duke Energy serves 1.4 million households and businesses in central and eastern North Carolina, and in the Asheville region.
This story was originally published May 31, 2021 at 11:09 AM.
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