Duke Energy Carolinas rates to drop nearly $4 a month

Duke Energy’s residential customers in the Charlotte area will pay nearly $4 less a month, starting Thursday, the North Carolina Utilities Commission ruled Tuesday.

The rate drop comes mostly from the cheap natural gas Duke increasingly uses to fuel its power plants. Duke’s fuel costs are passed to customers without profit.

The natural gas savings are partially offset by increases in the fees customers will pay to subsidize renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. Residential customers will pay 91 cents a month, up 37 cents.

Both changes go into effect Thursday for customers of Duke Energy Carolinas, the utility that serves western North Carolina including Charlotte.

Combined, typical residential customers who use an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month of energy will pay $3.80 less a month.

This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Duke Energy Carolinas rates to drop nearly $4 a month."