Residents across North Carolina are voicing anger and frustration after Duke Energy requested another round of electricity rate increases, despite reporting nearly $5 billion in profit last year.
The utility, which supplies power to millions across the state, has asked regulators to approve two additional rate hikes scheduled for 2027 and 2028. If approved, residential electricity bills could rise another 16 to 18 percent. The request comes after electricity prices in North Carolina have already climbed more than 23 percent on average over the past five years.
The proposed increases will be reviewed by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, which is expected to begin public hearings later this month.
Financial filings show Duke Energy reported approximately $4.9 billion in profit in 2025, while its stock price recently reached a record high. At the same time, many households in North Carolina are struggling with rising power costs. Roughly one in five Duke Energy Carolinas customers is currently behind on their electricity bills, and disconnections surged 37 percent last year as pandemic-era repayment plans expired.
Political leaders have also raised concerns. Josh Stein, the governor of North Carolina, publicly criticized the proposal, arguing that families already facing rising living costs should not be hit with additional utility increases.
However, much of the loudest backlash has come from residents online; over on Reddit’s North Carolina subreddit, many are questioning the structure of the state’s electricity market.
One commenter wrote, “The terrible thing is there’s nothing stopping them from doing this and pissing off their customers because there’s no competition. I have no choice on who supplies my power.”
Another post that gained significant attention argued that the issue goes beyond the latest rate request. “Break the monopoly. Hold them accountable for the pollution they have created in the state.”
Some residents say they have already begun exploring alternatives such as rooftop solar to reduce their reliance on the utility. Others are demanding broader reforms to how electricity is managed in the state.
One commenter wrote that utilities should be publicly run rather than investor-owned. “They could literally be doing the same thing for five billion dollars less. Turn it into a state utility.”
The debate has also taken on a political tone, with some commenters blaming lawmakers for enabling repeated rate increases.
Despite the growing backlash, the fate of the proposed hikes now rests with regulators. The Utilities Commission is expected to reach a final decision before the end of the year, a ruling that could determine how much more North Carolina households pay for electricity in the coming years.
