Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel - Your Residential Utility Consumer Advocate

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PAST CONSUMER ALERT:
DUKE ASKS PUCO FOR $55 MILLION RATE INCREASE – OHIO CONSUMERS’ COUNSEL SAYS RATE DECREASE!

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

duke rate caseOhio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC):

Duke is asking the PUCO to approve a $55 million electric rate increase for 657,000 consumers. The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, your state advocate, will recommend that the PUCO approve a rate decrease (not an increase) of at least $1.4 million for Duke’s consumers. The PUCO will decide how much Duke can charge you for electric service, after it hears from the public and case participants.

You Have the Right to Make Your Voice Heard by the PUCO!

Comment In-Person, Online or By Mail:

In-Person: Local public hearings were held July 18, 2022 in Middletown, July 20, 2022 in Liberty Township, and July 26, 2022 in Cincinnati. OCC offers tips on how to testify at local public hearings: http://bit.ly/how-to-testify

Online: To submit a comment on Duke’s proposed rate increase, visit the PUCO’s website at https://bit.ly/duke-electric-rate-case-21 and click on the words “File a Public Comment”

By Mail: You can mail a letter to the PUCO with comments referencing “Duke Energy“ and “PUCO Case 21-887” to:

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
180 E. Broad St., 11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

This case is about Duke’s distribution service, which includes charges for the wires etc. used for the delivery of electricity to your home. The actual electricity that is delivered through the distribution grid is separately charged to consumers. Duke’s delivery charges and charges for electricity are separate parts of your bill.

Proposals Compared:

Rate Decrease (Not Increase):

  • The Consumers’ Counsel will recommend that the PUCO decrease (not increase) Duke’s distribution charges to consumers by at least $1.4 million. 
  • Duke’s proposed rate increase is $55 million.

Profits:

  • OCC will propose that the PUCO set a much lower profit than what Duke proposes to charge consumers.
  • Duke proposes to charge a 10.3% profit to consumers.

Monthly Residential Customer Charge:

  • OCC opposes high fixed charges because they deny consumers the ability to lower their bills by reducing usage. The fixed monthly residential customer charge is the amount consumers pay for having an account with Duke even if they use no electricity.
  • OCC recommends that Duke’s monthly fixed customer charge should be lower than its current price of $6.
  • Duke proposes doubling its monthly fixed customer charge, raising it from $6 to $12.

make your voice heard!Some of the Other Issues:

  • Duke has bad timing for an electric rate increase, given soaring energy prices, inflation, poverty, and the possibility of a recession.
  • OCC opposes the PUCO Staff’s recommendation for allocating the rate increase between customer groups. The PUCO Staff wants to increase residential rates while decreasing business rates.
  • OCC recommends a $4.5 million bill-payment assistance program for low-income and working-poor consumers, to be funded by Duke’s stockholders. Duke opposes OCC’s proposal and says it is “not relevant.”
  • All of OCC’s objections can be seen at: https://bit.ly/occ-objections-duke-rates-21

Want to Know More?

Here is a link to the PUCO case docket with all the filings from the participants: https://bit.ly/duke-electric-rate-case-21

Questions?

Call or e-mail the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, your advocate, at 1-877-742-5622 or occ@occ.ohio.gov.