Duke Energy requesting 18% Rate Hike from NC Utilities Commission

Duke Energy is asking state regulators to approve an 18% increase in electricity rates for residential customers over the next two years, a proposal that could significantly raise monthly bills for households across North Carolina.

According to filings submitted to the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the increase would translate to an estimated $28 more per month for the average customer beginning in 2027, rising to about $34 per month in 2028.

The request comes as utility costs have steadily climbed in recent years. Duke Energy, which serves much of the Carolinas, operates as a regulated monopoly in large portions of the region.

Public concern has been mounting. As of March 30, about 72,500 people had signed a petition calling for an independent audit of Duke Energy’s billing system, along with refunds for customers who say they were overcharged due to billing discrepancies.

Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks defended the company’s practices. “We are a regulated utility with some of the highest accountability and oversight of any industry in the nation,” Brooks said. “We are required to reliably serve customers and accurately measure and bill the customer for energy they use.”

State regulators are now gathering public input. The Utilities Commission scheduled three hearings.

Critics argue the proposal reflects broader concerns about the company’s influence and the direction of state energy policy. Dan Crawford, senior director of public affairs for the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, said recent legislative actions have favored the utility.

Crawford pointed to the “Power Bill Reduction Act,” legislation introduced by former Duke Energy executive and former state senator Paul Newton. The measure allows Duke Energy to recover costs for power plants before they are fully completed, shifts rate structures between customer classes, and rolls back certain clean energy benchmarks.

The bill was vetoed by Governor Josh Stein last July, but lawmakers later overrode the veto, enacting it into law. Among its provisions was the removal of the state’s interim 2030 carbon emissions reduction target for the utility.

At the federal level, Rep. Deborah Ross (D, 2nd District), raised concerns about the impact of rising energy costs on families, particularly in western North Carolina communities still recovering from Hurricane Helene. “These changes mean families in western North Carolina who are still rebuilding...are struggling to heat their homes in the winter and early spring,” Ross said.

The Utilities Commission is expected to review testimony and public feedback before making a final decision on the proposed rate increases.