Duke Energy customers in NC to pay higher electric bills, but it could have been more

Higher rates for Duke Energy customers will go into effect starting Tuesday.

In a news release, Duke Energy said rates will increase an average of 4.7% across all of its customer groups. For a typical residential customer, that will bring the average monthly power bill up to just under $120 — an increase of about $6, the utility said.

The increase for individual customer groups will vary, depending on the rate they pay, Duke said. The average rate increase will be 5.3% for residential customers, 4.7% for commercial customers and 3.6% for industrial customers

The new rates were approved earlier this year by the N.C. Utilities Commission.

Duke Energy had initially requested a significantly larger rate increase to help pay for cleaning up coal ash at its plants. But the Charlotte-based utility agreed to a settlement earlier this year that will save North Carolina customers more than $1.1 billion in costs.

The utilities commission approved several Duke Energy proposals to reduce the impact of rising costs on low-income customers, the utility said. Duke Energy shareholders, for instance, will contribute $5 million over two year to the “Share the Warmth,” program, which provides financial assistance to low-income families who struggle to pay their heating bills.

Duke Energy serves 1.4 million households and businesses in central and eastern North Carolina, and in the Asheville region.