Dive Summary:

• The North Carolina Utilities Commission will hear its last public hearing in Hillsborough, N.C. on Tuesday regarding more than $200 million per year in rate hikes for Duke Energy Carolinas.
• The Duke subsidiary originally requested a $446 million annual rate increase, but now seeks less than half of that amount.
• Some dissent is expected at the hearing from groups representing poor and elderly customers.

Dive Insight:

Duke Energy Carolinas is looking to recoup investments that it has already made, including a new natural gas plant and clean-coal unit, improvements to two nuclear plants, enhancements to a tree-trimming program and federally mandated security upgrades.