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Hearing on electricity rate increase set for Tuesday

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Monday, September 14, 2009

(Updated Tuesday, September 15 - 6:49 am)

By Mark Binker
Staff Writer

Triad residents will have their chance to sound off about Duke Energy’s proposal to raise its rates by 12.6 percent during a public hearing Tuesday night in High Point.

If regulators approve the increase, the average residential rate for Duke customers would increase $11 per month to $93 per month, according to the company.

Duke applied to the N.C. Utilities Commission for permission to raise rates earlier this year. Tuesday’s hearing is part of the process regulators will use to decide whether an increase is warranted.

Environmental groups have opposed the rate hike because it would help pay for expansion of the Cliffside coal-powered plant, something they say is unnecessary but that company officials say is needed to ensure enough power for a growing state population.

The hearing will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at High Point City Hall at 211 S. Hamilton St.

Accompanying Photos

File photo (News & Record)

More online

From the company: News Release

N.C. Utilities Commission Docket

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Happy

September 14, 2009 - 3:10 pm EDT

12.6%??? This is robbery. The economy is bad. Taxes have increased, gas prices have increased, grocery prices have increased. The utility companies already charge an arm and a leg for their services and that is not including "Taxes, fees and surcharges". 12.6% is an unjustified percentage.

Laura

September 14, 2009 - 4:34 pm EDT

People are conserving -- that doesn't justify jacking up rates just to keep Wall Street happy.

kamoore28

September 14, 2009 - 9:59 pm EDT

DukeEnergy needs to quit asking for rate increases. No other power utility company asks for as many as DukeEnergy does. It is not good enough that we already pay out the butt for taxes, food, housing, gas, and other needs. To me DukeEnergy wants their custormers to pay the company's bills as well as their own. I hope DukeEnergy is denied their request.

bugger

September 15, 2009 - 10:48 am EDT

I remember when duke power got an increase to build a nucular plant in charolett that has never been fired up.
We are still paying to have the parking lot filled with the workers cars, what are they doing?
I want my last twenty years of that increase back!!!