Duke Energy Carolinas customers: solar, batteries and what the rules are now
Duke Energy Carolinas serves central and western North Carolina, from Charlotte and the Triad into the mountains. Rates rose under a three-year plan approved in 2023, a new case is pending, and solar has been credited differently since October 2023.
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Who Duke Energy Carolinas serves
Duke Energy Carolinas is the former Duke Power. In North Carolina it serves the central and western part of the state, from Durham and Greensboro to Charlotte and up into the mountains. In the far southwest it took over the territory of Nantahala Power and Light, which Duke bought in 1988. It is investor-owned and its North Carolina rates are set by the NC Utilities Commission.
The Asheville area is served by the other Duke company, Duke Energy Progress, and many rural areas are served by co-ops or town systems. Your bill tells you which. Our Duke Energy overview explains the split.
The Commission approved combining the two Duke companies in spring 2026, with Duke planning to operate them as one utility starting January 1, 2027. Duke has said Carolinas keeps its own North Carolina rates for now.
What has happened to rates
In December 2023 the Commission approved a three-year increase of 14.6 percent for Carolinas: 8.3 percent starting January 15, 2024, then 3.3 percent in 2025 and 3 percent in 2026. Duke had asked for 15.7 percent. It was the first multiyear plan under the 2021 state energy law, which also lets Duke earn more or less based on reliability and service targets.
Duke filed again in late 2025, asking for a residential increase of about 15.8 percent over two years starting in 2027. Public hearings for Carolinas customers in spring 2026 included Morganton, Charlotte and Winston-Salem. In July 2026 Duke reached a settlement with the Public Staff and several other groups that would cut the residential increase to about 9.5 percent over two years, 5.9 percent in 2027 and 3.6 percent in 2028. The Attorney General did not join. The Commission decides, under docket E-7, Sub 1329.
How Carolinas credits rooftop solar
Legacy Rider NM closed to new residential applications after September 30, 2023. New solar customers choose one of these:
- Residential Solar Choice. Requires a time-of-use rate with critical peak pricing, carries a monthly minimum bill and non-bypassable charges, and adds a grid access fee for systems over 15 kW AC.
- Net Metering Bridge. No time-of-use requirement, a yearly enrollment cap, and up to 15 years on the rider.
Both credit net exports each month at Duke's avoided cost rate. Legacy customers lose unused credits each June 1 for Carolinas, and they are scheduled to move to the bridge rider on December 31, 2026.
In a Charlotte suburb with an open south roof, the math looks very different than on a shaded north slope in the mountains. Time-of-use also rewards shifting loads like water heating and car charging, which a good contractor will build into the quote.
Outages and backup
Helene in late September 2024 caused long outages across Duke's western NC service areas, and Duke's restoration updates named Rutherford, McDowell, Buncombe and Avery among the hardest-hit counties. In the Piedmont, ice storms and summer thunderstorms are the usual causes. Grid-tied solar shuts off in an outage, so backup means a battery or a whole home generator.
Duke's PowerPair pilot offers a one-time incentive for solar and a battery installed together by a Duke Trade Ally on either solar rider. Ask your contractor whether PowerPair still has capacity.
Get a real quote without the runaround
Getting a solar contractor to return a call out here can take weeks. On HomeBackupPros you can book a home energy evaluation for $349: an electric audit, a review of how you use power, and a written quote for a system. If you buy the system from that same contractor, the $349 is credited toward the price. Contractors can also offer a free site visit or send an estimate, and you choose.
Every contractor is reviewed and approved by our team before they can respond, and we check their NC electrical contractor license number. They are independent businesses. HomeBackupPros does not install anything and does not employ them.
Have 12 months of kWh from your Carolinas bill ready and know whether you heat with gas, propane or electric.
Where Duke Energy Carolinas serves in our area
- Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
- Greensboro and the Triad
- Central and western NC communities from the Piedmont into the mountains (check your bill)
- Southwestern mountain counties once served by Nantahala Power and Light
Questions
Does Duke Energy Carolinas serve the mountains?
Yes, in part. Carolinas serves central and western NC into the mountains, including the far southwestern territory Duke took over from Nantahala Power and Light. The Asheville area is Duke Energy Progress, and co-ops and town systems serve many rural areas. Your bill is the quickest way to check.
Do I have to go on time-of-use if I add solar?
Only on Residential Solar Choice, which requires time-of-use with critical peak pricing. The Net Metering Bridge rider does not, but it has a yearly enrollment cap. Applications received after September 30, 2023 go on one or the other.
How much will Duke Energy Carolinas rates go up in 2027?
Duke originally asked for about 15.8 percent for residential customers over two years. A July 2026 settlement with the Public Staff proposed about 9.5 percent over two years. The Utilities Commission has the final say, so check docket E-7, Sub 1329 for the current status.
Is a battery worth it with Duke's solar rules?
It depends on your usage and goals. Because exports are credited at avoided cost, storing midday solar for evening use can be worth more than sending it back. A battery also covers outages. An evaluation with your real kWh numbers is the way to find out.