Dive Summary:
- Duke Energy has requested the North Carolina Utilities Commission to increase its electric rates by $446 million; the utility's recent capital investments account for 90 percent of the request.
- The utility said the increases are necessary due to Duke's investments in more efficient power plants and equipment.
- If approved, the increase will cause residential customers to pay 11.8 percent, while commercial customers would receive a 9.6 percent increase.
From the article:
Paul Newton, Duke Energy state president for North Carolina, said that the company has recently built and brought into service two new power plants.
“The new natural gas plant at Dan River does the job of three older, less efficient coal plants that we will now retire,” Newton said. “And it does so with significantly lower emissions. Advanced technology at the Cliffside Steam Station in Mooresboro, completed at the end of 2012, removes more than 99 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions and 90 percent of nitrogen and mercury emissions.” ...