Duke Energy Progress, LLC
Application of Duke Energy Progress, LLC, for Adjustment of Rates and Charges Applicable to Electric Service in North Carolina and for Performance Based Regulation
Docket No. E-2 Sub 1300

On October 6, 2022, Duke Energy Progress, LLC (DEP), filed an application with the Commission requesting authority to adjust and increase its rates and charges for electric service in order to produce an additional $623.5 million in retail base revenues, an increase of about 18.0% over current revenues. DEP requested approval of an application for performance-based regulation that allows DEP to adjust its base rates over three years in addition to the general base rate increase, a residential decoupling mechanism, an earnings sharing mechanism, and a performance incentive mechanism. The first-year increase would be partially offset by an $8.5 million refund of excess deferred income taxes resulting from the 2017 Federal Tax Cuts and Job Act and a reduction in North Carolina’s state-corporate tax rate.

Additionally, DEP is requesting approval of the following riders:

  • Earnings Sharing Mechanism (ESM) Rider
  • Residential Decoupling Mechanism (RDM) Rider
  • Performance Incentive Mechanism (PIM) Rider
  • Customer Assistance Program (CAP) Rider
  • Customer Assistance Recovery (CAR) Rider

In its application, DEP stated that its request is driven by investments made since its 2019 rate case, E-2, Sub 1219, including:

  1. investments in existing nuclear plants to enhance safety, reliability, and efficiency, and to preserve their performance and reliability over their extended life operations;
  2. new investments in traditional and renewable generation and storage assets;
  3. continued investments to maintain remaining coal-fired generation and hydroelectric generation;
  4. the addition of three battery installations;
  5. ongoing work to retire and close existing coal-fired units;
  6. adding new carbon free technologies such as solar and storage; and
  7. upgrading transmission and distribution systems to be more reliable, resilient, and supportive of renewable technologies.

Additionally, DEP is requesting an accounting order for approval of:

  1. ongoing regulatory asset treatment of the costs for environmental compliance related to the closure of coal ash basins;
  2. continued deferral of bad debt expense related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
  3. deferral of a portion of the impact associated with updated depreciation rates for its coal plants;
  4. deferral of costs associated with implementing customer service programs;
  5. deferral of storm costs; and
  6. deferral of certain costs related to a new performance incentive mechanism dashboard.

DEP also proposed a customer assistance program for eligible low-income customers, a tariffed-on-bill program, and the payment navigator program.

The Commission has scheduled six public witness hearings to receive testimony from DEP’s customers, as well as an expert witness hearing beginning May 1, 2023, for testimony and cross-examination of expert witnesses. There will not be an opportunity for public comments at the expert witness hearing, but the public is welcome to attend.


Date Time Location Docket Description of Proceeding
Public Witness Hearings:
3/06/2023 7:00pm Haywood County Courthouse, 285 N. Main Street, Courtroom 2-A,Waynesville, NC E-2 Sub 1300 Public Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates
3/13/2023 7:00pm Person County Courthouse, 105 S. Main Street, Superior Courtroom, Roxboro, NC E-2 Sub 1300 Public Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates
3/14/2023 7:00pm Hearing Room 2115, Dobbs Building, 430 N Salisbury, Raleigh, NC E-2 Sub 1300 Public Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates
3/20/2023 7:00pm Greene County Courthouse, 301 N. Green Street, Courtroom 1, Snow Hill, NC E-2 Sub 1300 Public Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates
3/21/2023 7:00pm Robeson County Courthouse, 500 N. Elm Street, Courtroom B, Lumberton, NC E-2 Sub 1300 Public Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates
4/20/2023 6:00pm Remote via Webex E-2 Sub 1300 Public Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates
Expert Witness Hearing:
5/1/2023 2:00pm Hearing Room 2115, Dobbs Building, 430 N Salisbury St. Raleigh E-2 Sub 1300 Expert Witness Hearing of DEP Application to Raise Electric Rates

The April 20, 2023, public witness hearing will be held remotely via Webex, beginning at 6:00 p.m. A link to view the hearing will be available at www.ncuc.gov. Members of the public who would like to testify must register in advance of the hearing.

To register, please complete the electronic Remote Public Witness Registration form located on the Commission’s website at www.ncuc.gov/hearings/remotepublicregister.html.

A confirmation email will be sent to the email provided after the registration form is submitted. Further instructions, including the call-in number, will be provided to you by email approximately one week before the hearing. Witnesses calling from a different number than provided at registration may experience delays or other difficulties in providing their testimony. If assistance is needed, please contact 919-733-0837.

Only the first 20 individuals registered by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, 2023, will be allowed to testify at the April 20, 2023, remote public witness hearing. This hearing will be canceled if no one registers to testify by 5:00 p.m. on April 13, 2023.


Additional Information:

  • You can find information about providing testimony at a public hearing here.
  • Weapons are strictly prohibited at Commission hearings, and everyone entering the building must pass through a metal detector.
  • Customers can also file written statements with the Commission here or by mailing comments to the address below. In either case, be sure to put the docket number of this proceeding in the subject line. After two or three business days, written comments become part of the official record and can be viewed via this website under the docket number.
  • The Public Staff – North Carolina Utilities Commission is a separate, independent agency that represents the using and consuming public in matters before the Commission, including rate change requests like this one. For more information, please visit the Public Staff’s website linked here.

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