Duke Energy

The utility is taking another step toward transforming Belews Creek into a nuclear power site, asking federal regulators to review the location for future reactors.

Duke Energy has proposed steep rate hikes for residential customers, starting in 2027. Some customers see a discrepancy between the company’s profits, forecasted savings and these requested rate increases.

State regulators hosted two public hearings on Duke Energy’s proposal to merge its two Carolina companies into one entity, Duke Energy Carolinas. Tuesday night, two members of the public weighed in on the combination.

State regulators will hold two public hearings next week on Duke Energy’s proposal to combine its two Carolina utilities — Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress — into a single, fully integrated company.

Duke Energy has proposed rate hikes for North Carolina customers in both of its service territories for 2027 and 2028. In the first year, residential rates for Duke Energy Carolinas customers would increase by 11.9%, and those for Duke Energy Progress customers would increase by 14.1%. The utility has also asked state regulators to raise rates for commercial and industrial customers.

Energy experts gathered in Raleigh this week to discuss how North Carolina’s energy grid — and ratepayers’ wallets — will handle the incoming wave of new data centers.

Duke Energy plans to build new natural gas infrastructure to accommodate incoming data centers and manufacturers. But one data center developer is attempting to distance itself from the associated cost of new energy generation — illustrating the tension between the state’s biggest new power consumers and residents worried about their bills.

Duke Energy filed its 2025 Carbon Plan Wednesday morning. Seismic shifts in federal energy policy over the last year have left a mark on the utility’s approach to clean energy.

Duke Energy plans to file its updated plan this week to meet North Carolina energy needs while reducing carbon pollution. However, a recent environmental report gave the utility a failing grade for transitioning to clean energy.

The N.C. Utilities Commission directed Duke to work with wind energy developers to see if committing to a wind farm by the mid-2030s is cost effective.