Last week, Climate Power and NCLCV hosted a ‘‘No to Rate Hikes” press conference to speak out against Duke Energy’s harmful request to state regulators for an 18% rate hike for consumers over the next two years.
The press event preceded one of many public hearings about the rate hikes by the NC Utilities Commission throughout the spring. With gas prices averaging $4 a gallon for the first time in four years and grocery prices skyrocketing, the rate hike proposal, which will cost residential consumers $20-30 more per month, has come at a time when many households are struggling. Many families are having to choose between paying significantly high electricity bills and putting food on the table.
“North Carolinians are being forced to make tough choices. Between necessities from healthcare and childcare to housing and groceries, and as they make these impossible decisions, more and more families are receiving higher utility bills, disconnection notices, and this is because of our utility providers,” said U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, representing North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District.
Many North Carolinians are taking a stand against corporate greed and making their voices heard by signing a petition that demands an audit of Duke Energy’s billing system and a refund if any discrepancies are found. Nearly 75,000 North and South Carolinians have signed, making it evident that the rate hikes are a pressing issue.
Last year, the NC General Assembly Republicans passed the Power Bill Reduction Act, or SB 266, a law that would allow Duke Energy to raise rates again, despite them already raising rates by 22% since 2020.
“Former Duke Energy state president and former state Sen. Paul Newton introduced a bill that allows Duke Energy to charge us for power plants before they’re even completed or fully built, charge industrial customers lower rates than residential customers, and eliminate clean energy goals that make us more dependent on coal and natural gas,” said Dan Crawford, Senior Director of Public Affairs at North Carolina League of Conservation Voters.
Get your voice heard by attending the NC Utilities Commission Hearings in-person or online. To find an upcoming hearing, go to: NCUC: Public Hearings
Also, check out the Utility Profit Tracker from the Energy and Policy Institute to see how much of your electric bill goes towards utility profits, and continue to spread the word about the devastating impact of Duke Energy’s rate hikes.
