Anita Yates, a retiree living in Mt. Airy, N.C., argues that Duke Energy’s plans cost people like her too much every month.
By Anita Yates
There are certain times of year when I know my electricity bill will be through the roof. The middle of the summer is definitely one of them. I live on a fixed income, so I have to decide whether to go without air conditioning or eat less food. It’s always a tough choice. Duke Energy keeps raising its rates, and it appears no one, including the state, will do anything to stop them.
I’ve learned that Duke Energy refuses to maximize renewable energy sources like solar power, one of the lowest-cost energy sources. Instead, they keep investing in methane gas infrastructure, an unhealthy and expensive fuel source, and passing those costs on to consumers like me.
The rate hikes hurt me. I used to work at Wake Forest Medical School in customer service and sales. I retired in 2023, and now I live off of Social Security and a very small pension from the medical school. During the school year, I can pick up a little extra money working as a substitute teacher, but most months I have to scrape by to cover food and utilities.
In April, when it started getting hot, I decided to see how long I could go without turning on the air conditioner. Daytime temperatures were already approaching 90 degrees, and my house wasn’t cooling much at night. But I made it all the way to June 17. I finally had to turn on the AC because I couldn’t sleep at all that night. My bill was $47 that month.
But other times, sacrificing doesn’t even pay off. During the winter holidays, I do a lot of baking in my electric oven – Moravian sugar cake, cheese straws, Scottish shortbread. I also love to decorate with lots of Christmas lights. I use LEDs to save energy. But this year I decided not to put up any decorations at all. Still, my energy bill was high in December, $159. And then the next month, I got a bill for $170. I was in shock.
And I couldn’t lean on substitute teaching because schools were closed so many days in January because of all of the snow.
I was angry and posted about it on Facebook when I got that bill for $170. A lot of people responded, saying their bills were sky high too. Someone said their bill was $400. If I were to get a $400 light bill, I would have a heart attack!
An organizer with the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Foundation also saw my post and responded. When I got in touch, I really began to learn about how Duke Energy is ignoring the health and financial needs of its customers.
Duke has planned the largest buildout of dirty fossil gas in the nation, according to data compiled by the Sierra Club. The Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project is the largest pipeline expansion in our region in a decade. It’s planned to run through Rockingham, Guildford, Forsyth, and Davidson counties. Projects like this often cost several times more than solar or wind.
We deserve better. But I worry that people like me are invisible to Duke Energy and the agencies who are supposed to oversee our utility rates. What they really see are dollar signs because more expensive infrastructure means higher profits for Duke Energy, a monopoly.
Our state Utilities Commission and our legislature should rein in Duke Energy, support less expensive and cleaner renewables, and generally rein in this craziness. We all deserve affordable, clean energy.
Anita Yates is a retiree who lives in Mt. Airy, N.C. She enjoys baking and spending time with her faith community. This column is produced in partnership with the N.C. League of Conservation Voters Foundation. It is syndicated by Beacon Media and is available to republish for free on all platforms under Beacon Media’s guidelines.