Rate Increase

Duke rate hike

The N.C. Utilities Commission's Public Staff, which represents consumers, has recommended that Duke's request for $646 million a year in new revenue be sliced to $211 million.

The Public Staff recommended 29 downward adjustments to Duke's latest request. Together, the adjustments would allow an overall 4.8 percent rate increase, compared with the 15.4 percent increase Duke wants, according to N&O today.

From Winston-Salem Journal report Thursday:

The N.C. Utilities Commission will hold a public hearing on Duke Energy's proposed rate increases at 7 p.m. today in High Point City Hall.

The meeting, one of several around the state, comes after the company requested that residential rates rise 17 percent. (This would mean that residents' monthly bills would increase by at least $18 a month on average, according to one estimate.)