Beginning in January, Duke Energy will introduce changes to customer bills in South Carolina following approval from the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC). These changes reflect investments made to recover from Hurricane Helene, strengthen the grid, upgrade power plants, and support a growing customer base.
Tim Pearson, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president, stated: “Duke Energy is committed to meeting the expectations our customers have around reliability, responsiveness and value – striking the right balance that delivers these at the lowest possible cost for customers. That means investing in what matters, delivering results efficiently, and remaining transparent about what customers are paying for and why.”
The PSCSC approved updates for both Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP), which are subsidiaries operating in different regions of the state. One major component is securitization—selling low-interest, long-term bonds—to cover costs from Hurricane Helene. This approach is expected to save DEC customers more than $140 million compared to traditional recovery methods.
For DEC residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, a new storm charge will appear on bills starting in January. This reflects a 3.2% increase or $4.58 monthly but represents 20% savings over standard recovery approaches. Pearson said: “We appreciate the legislature providing tools like securitization to address extreme storm costs as we continue to pursue ways to reduce these impacts on customer bills.”
Duke Energy has invested in grid upgrades and plant maintenance aimed at improving reliability and operational efficiency. Over the past two years, self-healing technology coverage has nearly tripled among South Carolina customers; now more than 70% benefit from automated power restoration systems.
Pearson added: “Meeting the needs of our customers means prioritizing investments that enhance the grid while also minimizing the cost impact for customers. For example, Duke Energy’s nuclear units are expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars of annual tax credits in the coming years – savings that will be passed to our customers beginning in 2026.”
Comprehensive agreements approved by PSCSC will apply tax credits directly to bills and include shareholder-funded contributions for residential customers over the next two years.
For DEP residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month, electric bills will rise by about $11.20 monthly starting February 1—from $153.82 to $165.02. For DEC residential users with similar consumption levels, monthly bills will increase by about $0.84 beginning March 1—from $148.02 to $148.86 (including the new storm charge).
DEC serves approximately 680,000 households and businesses mainly in Upstate and north central South Carolina; DEP serves about 177,000 customers in northeastern areas such as Sumter and Florence counties.
If regulators approve a proposed combination of DEC and DEP utilities in 2026, it could result in more than $1 billion saved for Carolinas’ customers over time.
Pearson emphasized efforts helping consumers manage their own energy use: “Customers expect us to manage our costs, but they also want options to manage their own energy usage and give them tools to impact their own bills,” he said. “That’s why we’re helping customers lower their energy use – and lower their bills – through programs that make a measurable difference.”
Across North Carolina and South Carolina combined, Duke Energy’s energy efficiency programs deliver annual savings well above national averages; recent increases in incentives aim to help even more residents reduce usage.
More information on available programs can be found at duke-energy.com/SeasonalSavings.
