Duke Energy is continuing its push for higher electricity rates in North Carolina, with a new request filed last week to increase customer bills in order to cover rising fuel and power costs, according to WUNC.
The latest filing comes just five months after the utility sought rate hikes of more than 10% beginning next year to pay for new infrastructure projects. Now, the company is asking regulators to approve an additional increase tied specifically to fuel expenses.
According to the filing, Duke Energy aims to recover costs stemming in part from January’s winter storms. The company says it has under-recovered an estimated $500 million since September 2025 and is proposing to spread those costs over a 19-month period.
If approved, the changes would take effect June 1. Residential customers served by Duke Energy Carolinas would see their bills rise by an average of $6.90 per month, while Duke Energy Progress customers would see an increase of about $7.88 per month. Duke Energy notes that it does not profit from fuel or power purchases, instead passing those costs directly to customers.
However, it’s worth noting that Duke Energy reported nearly $5 billion in profits last year.
The proposal has already drawn criticism from Governor Josh Stein, who called on the state’s Utilities Commission to protect consumers from rising energy costs. In a statement, Stein argued that recent policy changes could leave residents more vulnerable to fluctuations in fuel markets and shift more of the financial burden onto households.
Those policy changes stem from Senate Bill 266, which removed certain limits on how Duke Energy can recover fuel costs and allows the company to seek reimbursement more frequently.
Regulators with the North Carolina Utilities Commission will review the proposal, and members of the public will have an opportunity to weigh in. Public hearings are scheduled as part of the process, giving customers a chance to comment directly on the proposed rate increases. Below are the upcoming hearings across the state:
- Morganton: April 28 @ 7:00 pm Burke County Courthouse
- Charlotte: April 29 @ 7:00 pm Mecklenburg County Courthouse
- Winston-Salem: May 6 @ 7:00 pm Forsyth County Courthouse
- Durham: May 12 @ 7:00 pm Durham County Courthouse
Customers can also submit comments online through the Commission’s website using the appropriate docket numbers:
- E-2 Sub 1358 for Duke Energy Progress customers
- E-7 Sub 1313 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers
