Residents spoke out against Duke Energy Carolinas’ proposed rate increase during an Oct. 14 public hearing in Greenville County.
The utility company submitted an application to the Public Service Commission of South Carolina in July for a $150.5 million increase in annual revenue. If approved, residential customers would see an approximately 9.5% increase on their monthly electricity bill effective March 1, 2026, according to the application.
Duke Energy customers had the opportunity to voice concerns over the proposed rate increase at the public hearing held Oct. 14 at Greenville Technical College. Hearings were also held in Spartanburg and Anderson counties over the previous two weeks.
Jill Hood, a Travelers Rest resident, expressed her concerns about the potential rate increase as someone living on a fixed income. She explained that rising costs have made budgeting more challenging, and an increase in her power bill would require her to further cut back on other expenses.
Monthly electric bills for typical residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month would increase by $10.38, from $136.82 to $147.19 per month. Commercial customers would experience an average increase of 5.4% and industrial customers would see an average increase of around 5.2%.
“Now is not the time for this rate increase,” said Lilah Westmoreland, a Greenville resident.
Ryan Mosier, spokesman for Duke Energy, said the proposed rate increase would provide additional revenue needed to help improve the power grid reliability and power-generation efficiency. The utility company serves approximately 680,000 customers across 18 counties in South Carolina.
Duke Energy Carolinas last requested a base rate increase in January 2024. The approved request increased residential rates by 8.7% in August 2024. Residential customers will also see another 4.3% increase starting Aug. 1, 2026 under the previously approved request.
According to Duke Energy Carolinas, the approved rate increase allowed the utility company to complete grid upgrades, improve storm resilience and maintain the power-generation fleet.
The Public Service Commission’s next hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Greenwood 50 Performing Arts Center in Greenwood County. In-person and virtual hearings are also scheduled on Nov. 13 at the Public Service Commission Hearing Room in Columbia. The first session will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second from 4 to 8 p.m.
For more information, visit duke-energy.com/home/billing/dec-sc-rates.
