Environmental advocates are calling on North Carolina regulators to reject proposed utility rate hikes by Duke Energy as a public comment period begins across the Tar Heel state.

Duke Energy is proposing an 18% rate hike on consumers, even though rates have increased by more than 20% since 2020. In December, Democratic leaders like Gov. Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced their opposition to the rate hikes.

Brittany Griffin, advocacy manager for the group CleanAIRE NC, pointed out much of the increased energy demand is coming from data centers. Duke’s proposed rate hike has been panned as “corporate welfare” by CleanAIRE NC because industrial customers would see an overall rate hike of under 13%.

"We don’t believe that residential customers, everyday people that are struggling, should be paying more – or have a bigger increase – than commercial and industrial customers that are probably pulling a lot more power than the average household," Griffin asserted.

Duke Energy argued the proposed rate hike will help strengthen the grid, increase output from rising demand and promote better storm resilience.

Public comment periods will take place across North Carolina from March 30 to May 12, including locations in Raleigh, Waynesville and Winston-Salem. Griffin encouraged any North Carolinian whose budget would be affected by a rate hike to speak up and pointed out public staff is there to help people navigate the process.

"Being able to speak and share your experience can possibly help," Griffin emphasized. "Because that’s why they also hold the public hearings: to really get a sense of what folks are experiencing."

More than70,0000 people have signed a petition to audit Duke Energy’s billing practices.

Source: Public News Service