Final hearing in Duke Energy case to be held next week, settlement in the works

Duke Energy customers in the Upstate have one more chance to provide their thoughts on proposed electric rate increases to the Public Service Commission (PSC) on May 20 in Columbia.

Residents who would like to speak at the hearing must pre-register by Friday. Information on how to register can be found on the PSC’s website . The final hearing will include a virtual attendance option, though customers can attend in person at 101 Executive Center Drive in Columbia.

Ahead of Monday’s final public hearing on a proposed rate change case, several groups opposing Duke Energy’s price hike have filed a settlement agreement after announcing a settlement in principle on Wednesday.

The PSC, which regulates utilities in the state, must approve the rate hike before it can take effect. Now, they will also have to approve the adoption of the settlement.

The details of the settlement were not made public at the time of publication, but have since been included in the case docket. The parties agreed to file by the end of the day on Thursday. The settlement will not dismiss the rate case as a whole.

The parties agreeing to settle are Duke Energy Carolina, the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, the South Carolina Energy Users Committee, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, the Coastal Conservation League, Vote Solar, and the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. According to a letter from state Attorney John Torri, the settlement will resolve all pending issues against Duke.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has not agreed to the settlement, according to an email filed in the case docket on the PSC website.

If Duke’s rate increase is approved, the 658,000 customers served by Duke Energy Carolinas will pay nearly 20% more for their electric services by 2026, roughly $30 more each month.

Read more: ‘This is a monopoly’: Customers decry Duke Energy’s proposed rate changes

The rate increase would begin in August. Upstate customers would first see a 12.9% increase in their base rate or the monthly charge for their electricity. In August 2026, the rates would jump again by an additional 6.5%.Duke proposed the rate change in January, which marked their first request to raise prices since 2018. Duke Energy Carolinas covers most of the Upstate, serving North and South Carolina through Greenwood County.

The company held six public hearings in several Upstate counties to hear from residents.

The first hearing was held in April, during which customers complained that the proposed hikes would be too costly for many people in the area. They also complained about service, solar costs, and the price of electricity growing more than cost-of-living adjustments for people using Social Security benefits.

Read more: Duke Energy continues power line project despite pushback from rural Spartanburg community

Since then, Duke has reportedly resolved issues with individual speakers, according to a nine-page letter in the case docket on the PSC website.

If customers are uncomfortable with the rate increases, the PSC will take their comments into account before making a final decision on Duke’s case. Monday’s hearing will mark the end of the public comment period.

Sarah Swetlik covers climate change and environmental issues in South Carolina's Upstate for The Greenville News. Reach her at sswetlik@gannett.com or on X at @sarahgswetlik .

Have a question for Sustainability with Sarah? Ask here or email sswetlik@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Final hearing in Duke Energy case to be held next week, settlement in the works