Duke granted increase, but falls short what was sought

Duke Energy Carolinas will be allowed to raise bills, but not to the level it wanted. A consumer official says the South Carolina Public Service Commission issued a directive  yesterday that limits the Duke increase in its basic facilities charge to $11.96 a month. Duke had wanted to set the charge as a high as $28 a month.  The basic facilities charge, according to Ron Aiken of the Office of Regulatory Staff, is a flat charge over which customers have no control, regardless of how much electricity they use.  Duke Energy spokesman Ryan Moisier said, “We disagree with some of the findings (the directive) and legal conclusions made by the commission. We will complete a very thorough review of the order once it is issued, which will probably be in a couple of weeks, and we will seek any clarification needed once we receive the order and evaluate next steps…” Consumer official Aiken called the outcome “a rebuke” to Duke and called attention to PSC commissioner Tom Ervin who, in writing the directive, accused the utility of being “tone deaf” to the plight of the consumer.