Officials hear from customers after Duke Energy requests rate hike [Video]

The North Carolina Utilities Commission held a public hearing about it Thursday night at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in Uptown Charlotte.

“The North Carolina Utilities Commission has the opportunity to protect our states most vulnerable communities from this corporate money grab,” said Billie Anderson, a Duke Energy customer.

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Duke Energy is requesting to raise power bills over the next three years if approved later this year.

A residential customer whose monthly bill is around $115 would be paying around $20 more each month by 2026 under the proposed rate increase, Duke Energy officials said.

“Instead of investing in clean, renewable energy, our family would be paying more for Duke Energy to expand its use of dirty energy, which exacerbates my son’s asthma,” Anderson said.

The public hearing featured witnesses on the stand who made a case for and …