Duke Energy is seeking an 18% increase that could mean more of your money toward your utility bills.
Frustrated customers lined up on Monday to make their voices heard about rising utility costs as state regulators held a public hearing on Duke Energy's latest request for a rate increase.
Single moms and seniors among them, they came with a message for the commission: They can't take another Duke Energy rate increase. They said money is already tight with rising gas prices, grocery costs, and no matter how much they save, it's never enough
A state report shows electric bills in North Carolina have climbed about 22% since 2020.
"We don't want seniors to be without their health and well-being, because of Duke Energy wanting an 18% interest rate," said Linda Chavis. " Electricity isn't a luxury for us. It's a necessity," she told the commission in a packed, standing-room-only public hearing.
She said she was on a fixed income, and anything extra would bust her budget.
"People think when you are senior, retired, you have that extra money," Chavis said. "It's no such thing as extra money."
State regulators heard from customers Monday night as part of the review process.
"Tough choices will need to be made in their spending," one person said of Duke Energy. "They're not going to get an 18% pay raise."
Another said, "My bills have consistently been over $200 for just a two-bedroom apartment. Imagine my shock when I learned that number would increase by 18%."
Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks said the company's request reflects investments in strengthening the electric grid.
"We're also making the electric grid strong. We're upgrading poles and wires, expanding substations to be better able to resist outages from severe weather and also to restore power faster, you know, after a major storm," Brooks said. "One of the things that we've seen is an increase in our self-healing capabilities. And those are all part of this case as well. That technology helped to avoid about 1.3 million customer outages last year. And that saved about 3 million hours of outage time."
That proposed 18% hike will be spread across two years. Duke Energy is requesting a 14% increase in 2027 and another 4% in 2028.
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For many customers, concerns are more immediate. Recent bills -- some significantly higher -- have sparked frustration online, along with a growing petition calling for an independent audit of Duke Energy's billing system.
The company said the higher bills are largely caused by increased usage and continued growth across the state.
"We are seeing a lot of new people moving into the area. About 150,000 new customers have been added in the last two years," Brooks said. "And that's required, for example, 50,000 new poles and 4,000 miles of wire, all of that to meet those needs reliably."
Customers press Duke Energy over rising electric bills
Before the public hearing Monday night, Climate Power and the N.C. League of Conservation Voters held a news conference to also address the proposed rate hike.
Among the speakers were Rep. Deborah Ross, State Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, and Dan Crawford, Senior Director of Public Affairs for the N.C. League of Conservation Voters.
Ross, a Democrat who represents North Carolina's Second Congressional district, said, it's time the people speak out against the rate hikes.
"We're already experiencing high electricity prices at a time when prices are continuing to rise across the board, North Carolinians are being forced to make tough choices between necessities from health care and child care to housing and groceries," she said. "To have an 18% increase in your utility costs, it's not sustainable. People have got to speak up, and we're doing that for them. I'm doing it as their member of Congress. You heard one of their state senators do it. But hearing from everyday North Carolinians is the most important thing."
Brooks said Duke Energy was trying to balance the energy needs while keeping costs down.
"It's always a tough equation. And, for some people, any increase is going to be a challenge," Brooks said. "And we understand that and appreciate that."
The comments from people on Monday night will be used to help determine whether Duke Energy's proposed rate increase is approved.
There are more public hearings scheduled across the Triangle.