This week’s stifling heat has our bodies working overtime to stay cool, and for many residents, the high temperatures are also straining their financial health.
A line of more than 100 people stretched outside the nonprofit Crisis Assistance Ministry in north Charlotte on Thursday morning. Many were waiting for rental assistance or help with their utility bills.
One man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was waiting in line because his Duke Energy bill went up.
“It’s not fair,” he said. “They got millions of dollars that they pay the CEO that works for Duke Energy, but they [are] continuously increasing the customers’ energy bills.”
Shelly Biby, Crisis Assistance Ministry’s chief advancement officer, said it’s like this every day. And the current heatwave is a prelude to a wave of disconnection notices.
“We’re about 19% higher on average utility requests,” Biby said. “We expect, even [in] October, we will be seeing the results of this heatwave.”
Duke Energy, meanwhile, has two rate increase requests pending before state regulators. The utility recently reduced its rate hike request for 2027, but the average Duke Energy Carolinas customer would still see a $10 monthly increase.
Are you interested in commenting on the Duke Energy hearings? Even if you miss the public hearing, you can still submit a statement of position on the Utility Commission’s website. You’ll need the relevant docket number for your comment:
- E-2 SUB 1380: Duke Energy Progress is asking to raise average monthly rates by $28.06 in 2027 and $6.59 in 2028.
- E-7 Sub 1329: Duke Energy Carolinas is asking to raise average monthly rates by $17.22 in 2027 and $6.34 in 2028.
- E-100 Sub 207: Duke Energy’s resource plan, also known as its carbon plan, which includes the utility’s roadmap to building new power plants.
