Duke Energy Customer's Costs Could Raise Due to New Bill

Duke Energy Customer’s Costs Could Raise Due to New Bill

That shift would place more financial burden on households, potentially raising residential customer payments by $87 million statewide

Energy And Oil Companies Photo Illustration — Source: NurPhoto / Getty

A proposed energy bill moving through the North Carolina General Assembly could significantly increase how much residential customers pay for renewable energy purchased by Duke Energy.

“That’s a time when the residential class is using a higher percentage of energy because they’re turning up their heat pumps, they’re using more electricity to heat their homes. Commercial and industrial use is pretty flat during those periods,” Will Scott, Environmental Defense Fund’s Southeast climate and clean energy director, said.

Senate Bill 266 would require the Utilities Commission to allocate costs for purchased power based on when demand is highest, typically cold winter mornings for Duke Energy. That shift would place more financial burden on households, potentially raising residential customer payments by $87 million statewide, according to an analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund. That would bring the total to about $545 million.

Supporters argue that customers could reduce costs through smart meters and time-of-use pricing plans. The House passed the bill Tuesday, and it now heads to the Senate before possibly landing on Governor Josh Stein’s desk.

Source: WFAE