Raleigh, North Carolina – Consumer Reports today announced the launch of a media campaign urging the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) to reject Duke Energy’s continued demands for rate increases on state residents.
The media campaign will span print and digital outlets across North Carolina highlighting the severe financial strain that rising electricity bills place on local families. CR is urging the NCUC to ensure that rate changes remain just, reasonable, and in the public interest.
“This campaign is designed to cut through the noise and elevate the voices of everyday North Carolinians who are frustrated with excessive increases of their electricity bills,” said Sara Enright, senior director for consumer impact at Consumer Reports. “As Duke Energy pushes for millions more from the pockets of hardworking families across North Carolina, our ads throughout the Tar Heel state will rally consumers to push back, contact the utilities commission, and demand a system that works for families, not just corporate executives.”
Late last year Duke Energy’s two North Carolina subsidiaries, Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas, both initiated rate cases asking the NCUC to authorize an 18% rate increase and a significant boost to their authorized profits. After over ten months of debate and deliberation the NCUC is poised to make a final decision on both cases in the coming weeks. The outcome will determine how much Duke Energy customers will pay for electricity over the next two years.
Consumer Reports recently submitted more than 3,700 petition signatures from members living in North Carolina asking the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) to reject Duke Energy’s excessive rate increase request.
Since the petition drive began, one of Duke Energy’s two subsidiaries in the state, Duke Energy Carolinas, has lowered their rate increase request to 9.5% over the next 2 years and Duke Energy Progress agreed to a rate increase of 6.8% over the next two years, also lower than the original rate increase request. While that is an important move in the right direction, Consumer Reports submitted a letter to the NCUC telling them that the proposed reduction in the rate hike was not enough, as it continues to raise utility profits through residential ratepayer price increases.
CR has also profiled individual consumers detailing how skyrocketing electricity bills are straining everyday households in North Carolina and throughout the country.
This campaign in North Carolina is part of Consumer Reports’ broader nationwide energy affordability initiative. Through petitions, consumer storytelling, research, and policy advocacy, CR is working to ensure households have a seat at the table as utilities seek approval for billions of dollars in grid infrastructure investments and AI data center expansion.
Contact: cyrus.rassool@consumer.org