The N.C. Utilities Commission this afternoon approved an overall 7 percent rate increase for Duke Energy's 1.8 million customers in the state, effective next month.
The commission largely adopted an earlier settlement between Charlotte-based Duke and the Public Staff, the state agency that represents consumers in utility rate cases.
Monthly bills for typical residential customers will go up about $7, as reported by our sister newspaper, The Charlotte Observer.
Duke has about 180,000 customers in Chapel Hill, Durham and other parts of the Triangle.
Duke's initial rate request was about twice as much as the commission approved. Duke has indicated it is likely to seek another rate increase later this year.
The commission in 2009 allowed Duke to raise its N.C. rates by 7 percent spread over two years.
Duke says it needs more revenue to pay for construction projects and to meet federal environmental laws.
N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper, who opposed the settlement, immediately challenged the commission's order. "We intend to review the opinion and look at available options," Cooper said in a statement.
John Murawski has been a full-time newspaper reporter since 1991, with stints at Legal Times and The Chronicle of Philanthropy (both in Washington, DC), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Palm Beach Post (in South Florida) before arriving at the N&O in December 2004. At the N&O he covers energy (nuclear, coal, renewable, efficiency), utilities (electric, natural gas, telephone) and telecommunications. His beat includes such publicly traded companies as Progress Energy, Duke Energy, PSNC Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PowerSecure International, Tekelec, Cisco Systems, AT&T, among others. You can reach him at 919-829-8932 or 
