Solid and steady opposition to the Duke Carolinas' rate hike request

RALEIGH -- AARP North Carolina delivered about 1,400 petitions today to the North Carolina Utilities Commission from residential ratepayers concerned about the steep rate hike request by Duke Carolinas.

The company, which serves 2 million customers in parts of the Piedmont and Western North Carolina, is seeking asking to raise their rates by more than 11 percent

As part of the company’s rate request, the Commission is also is deciding if consumers will pay billions of dollars for a nuclear plant that Duke Energy Carolinas has abandoned.

In an earlier settlement with the Commission, Duke Progress’s rate request was significantly reduced, thanks in part to the thousands of AARP members spoke out against a double digit rate increase.

Like the Duke Progress case, residential consumers are outraged at the potential strain it will cause on fixed-income North Carolinians. AARP has already delivered thousands of petitions from customers worried about the impact of Duke’s rate requests in the state.

One opponent, Ellen S. of Salisbury wrote, “I am a widow living only on Social Security. I personally cannot afford an increase in my electric bill. Everyone keeps having away at my fixed income. Please don’t let them.”

Merlin V. of Huntersville told the Commission “The economy is healthy and inflation is very low. The rate increases requested by Duke Carolinas is out of line with the current fiscal situation.”

Asking to recover costs for things such as coal ash cleanup, Bernard I. of Charlotte wrote to the Commission and said, “Duke Energy should bear the responsibility and not pass it on to the consumer. I’m sure their bank account can bear it much better than mine.”

For those who want to weigh in on the Duke Carolinas hearings, which continue this week, statements can be sent to statements@NCUC.net. Please include the case docket number which is NCUC Docket No. E-7 Sub 1146.

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