CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Attorney General Josh Stein filed an appeal targeting Duke Energy Carolinas’ recently approved rate hikes.
The North Carolina Utilities Commission approved the new rates for Duke Energy customers, back in December 2023. Along with these rate hikes, viewers have noticed a new item on their bill, a rider adjustment, but what is that?
THE SOURCE
WHAT WE FOUND
Kureczka said a rider is a charge that is not included in a customer’s standard rate.
“So the standard base rate that a customer pays is based on their energy uses, so their kilowatt-hours that they're using, but riders are part of the cost that the utility Duke Energy incurs to serve our customers," Kureczka said.
She said riders allow Duke Energy to recoup the cost of specific programs, credits and purchases that the company makes.
But what customers are seeing on their bills now is called a rider adjustment.
"The riders can be adjusted," she explained. "So just based on what programs we might have going on."
She said the riders are adjusted every year and are not specific to just Duke Energy
"The inclusion of rider charges is a common practice for utilities," Kureczka said,
But Kureczka stressed this rider adjustment is not a new charge. She said it’s always been on your bill, you’ve just never seen it identified as such.
"They've just been included in that kind of that lump sum that that customer sees on the bill," she explained. "We recently decided to break out the riders kind of like as a line item. So customers have more transparency just around what they're paying for."
And what determines how much your rider is? Kureczka said it's based on each customer’s kilowatt-hour usage. So if a customer uses more energy, their rider fee would be higher.
Kureczka said if customers are feeling some sticker shock when they open their Duke Energy bill, it’s not the rider adjustment that’s to blame.
"So it is you know, again, higher billing season than usual," She said. "Just because we're in January and February customers tend to use more energy during this time. Also in Duke Energy Carolina new base rates went into effect on Jan. 15."
But Kureczka said there are ways you can save money during the winter season.
"Just make sure you kind of do a full walk around your house look for, you know, look for caulking and sealing if there's any kind of openings where that cold air can get into your home," she said.
Kureczka said Duke Energy offers a free home energy house call program where one of their technicians will come out to your house to do a free energy audit. Click here to learn more.
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