New rates take effect for Duke Energy Progress customers in S.C.

Posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2019

New rates became effective June 1 for Duke Energy Progress customers in South Carolina based on the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC) order issued May 21.

The new rates remain below the national average, even after adjustments are made to reflect investments in cleaner, more reliable energy.

Duke Energy Progress serves about 169,000 customers in the northeastern part of South Carolina, including Darlington, Florence and Sumter counties.

The changes in customer rates come after a lengthy and very public process evaluating a request that is at the heart of the company’s ability to build a smarter energy infrastructure for South Carolina. The new rates also reflect the company’s efforts to deliver electricity that is cleaner than ever, and ensure the best customer service possible. The new rates will also reflect savings from recent tax reform.

The PSCSC approved an average rate increase of 6.3 percent for all residential customers.

Commercial and industrial customers will see an average increase of around 4.2 percent (actual rates vary by customer group and size).

Beginning June 1, a typical residential customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity monthly would pay about $130.55 per month, an increase of about $8.06.

In April, the company proposed a decrease in monthly fuel costs for its South Carolina customers as part of an annual adjustment of the actual cost of fuel used to generate electricity at its power plants. If approved by the PSCSC, that change would reduce the typical residential customer’s bill by $1.95, beginning July 1.

Commercial customers would see an average decrease in their bills of about 2.1 percent, and industrial customers would receive an average decrease of about 4.4 percent.

A rate change was also made June 1 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers. Duke Energy Carolinas serves about 591,000 customers in the Upstate region of South Carolina, including Greenwood, Greenville, Spartanburg, Lancaster and York counties.