Legislation which would have smoothed the way for Duke Energy to win electric rate hikes over multiple years with diminished public scrutiny has been amended to remove that provision.

Senate Bill 559 contained a section which would have allowed Duke to seek several years of rate hikes in a single case. Right now, they have to go to the state Utilities Commission every time they want to raise rates, and can only be granted rate requests one year at a time.

Duke pitched the idea as a way to aid longer-term planning. However, critics pointed out it could be used to require customers to cover the costs of multi-billion-dollar projects like cleaning up all coal ash pits, without an annual process of public hearings or the opportunity to require Duke to answer detailed questions about their expenditures. 

Instead, the House amended that controversial provision to require the Utilities Commission to study that and several alternative ratemaking procedures. The modified bill now goes back to the Senate to act on the changes. If the Senate votes to concur, the bill would go to the governor. If the Senate rejects the changes, it would go to a conference committee between the chambers. That committee would negotiate the final version for an up-or-down vote in both chambers, with no opportunity to amend. If that version passed, then Gov. Cooper would weigh in. 

NCLCV and other conservation groups have vigorously opposed the multi-year rate hike provision, and were pleased by its removal. The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association is urging North Carolinians to ask their legislators to support keeping the bill as amended.

Up next, LCV Speaks Out in Special Election >>

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