Duke Energy Wants To Raise Utility Bills For Another Two Million NC Customers

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Duke Energy Corp. is giving notice it plans to seek electricity rate increases for another 2 million North Carolina customers.

Read: Duke Energy Unit Wants 15 Percent Average Rate Hike For Some NC Customers

The country's largest electricity company said Tuesday it's filling its rate request on Aug. 25 affecting customers of Duke Energy Carolinas, the company's western North Carolina subsidiary. The size of the rate hike will be disclosed next month.

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The company in June asked state utility regulators to allow it to raise power bills for 1.3 million North Carolina customers of Duke Energy Progress by an average 15 percent.

Read: Clever Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill

The subsidiary operating primarily in eastern North Carolina wants an extra $477 million a year from customers to cover ongoing costs of replacing coal-burning plants with natural gas and to begin paying the multi-billion-dollar cost of cleaning up coal-ash pits.

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