What happened at the courthouse
Durham residents flooded a public hearing on June 3 to oppose Duke Energy's proposal to raise electricity rates by roughly 18% over the next two years. The crowd grew so large that deputies closed the courthouse doors, leaving residents outside in line.
What customers said
Speaker after speaker described bills already out of reach. Caroline Sparks told the crowd that people cannot pay what they owe. She put it in terms her retired father made plain at the grocery store: he put back a $3 burrito because he said it cost too much.
Michelle Carter said her bill jumped 110% during February's cold snap even though her usage never changed. Carter works with seniors and said the pattern is consistent among the people she serves. "People are choosing between medicine, food, and paying their power bills," she said. "It is their power bills, utility bills that are crushing them."
Charlesa Redmond, a graduate student, said a higher bill could force low-income residents to choose between running air conditioning in summer or heat in winter.
Duke Energy's position
Spokesman Jeff Brooks acknowledged the difficulty. "There's never a good time to request an increase," he said. "This is a very capital-intensive business to meet the growing energy needs in our state."
The company said the proposed increase would fund the replacement of 50,000 poles, upgrades to 40,000 miles of lines, and broader reliability improvements. If the state utilities commission approves the request, the new rates would take effect in January 2027.