Duke Energy Carolinas electricity rates
Investor-owned utility · North Carolina · SERC region
Duke Energy Carolinas is a for-profit, investor-owned utility regulated by the state utility commission, serving 1,961,108 homes in North Carolina. Its residential customers pay an average of 13.94¢/kWh including fixed and delivery charges, 23% less than the U.S. average.
Rate basis: EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07.
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Duke Energy Carolinas bill estimates
| Monthly use | At average all-in rate | Base tariff charges* |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $69.70 | $77.78 |
| 1,000 kWh | $139.40 | $141.56 |
| 1,500 kWh | $209.10 | $205.34 |
| 2,000 kWh | $278.80 | $269.12 |
*RS (Residential Service) (effective 2026-01-01, $14.00/month customer charge), energy and fixed charges from the OpenEI Utility Rate Database. Riders, fuel adjustments and taxes are often billed separately, so real bills usually land closer to the all-in column. Calculate your bill.
Duke Energy Carolinas residential rate plans
| Plan | Effective | Customer charge | Energy charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS (Residential Service) | 2026-01-01 | $14.00 | 12.76¢ |
| Residential Service (RES-55) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $11.78 | 15.2¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service (RES-55) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $20.78 | 15.2¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $23.63 | 13.5¢ (12am–1am, 6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 29.7¢ (6pm–9pm) · 9.5¢ (1am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $14.63 | 13.5¢ (12am–1am, 6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 29.7¢ (6pm–9pm) · 9.5¢ (1am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Solar Time-of-Use (R-STOU) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $14.63 | 13.8¢ (6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 21.2¢ (6pm–9pm) · 10.8¢ (12am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Solar Time-of-Use (R-STOU) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $23.63 | 13.8¢ (6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 21.2¢ (6pm–9pm) · 10.8¢ (12am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $23.63 | 9.8¢ (12am–1am, 6am–11am, 4pm–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 20.6¢ (6pm–9pm) · 7.0¢ (1am–6am, 11am–4pm) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $14.63 | 9.8¢ (12am–1am, 6am–11am, 4pm–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 20.6¢ (6pm–9pm) · 7.0¢ (1am–6am, 11am–4pm) — summer weekdays |
| ES (Residential Service Energy Star, Standard) | 2026-01-01 | $14.00 | 12.14¢ |
| Residential - RS (SC) | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 13.44¢ first 1,000 kWh, 14.17¢ after |
| Residential Service Energy Star Standard ES | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 12.72¢ first 1,000 kWh, 13.41¢ after |
| Residential Electric Water Heating and Space Conditioning - RE | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 12.41¢ first 1,000 kWh, 13.09¢ after |
| Residential Service Energy Star All-Electric ES | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 11.74¢ first 1,000 kWh, 12.38¢ after |
Source: OpenEI U.S. Utility Rate Database. Rates change. Check the linked tariff or your bill for current figures.
Duke Energy Carolinas rate history
2015–2025: +26% change in the average residential rate (10.62¢ → 13.41¢). Annual EIA-861 data.
Outages & reliability
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Reliability history
| 2025 | Duke Energy Carolinas | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outage minutes per customer (SAIDI) | 216 | 195 | 266 |
| Outages per customer (SAIFI) | 1.35 | 1.38 | 1.34 |
| Average restoration time (CAIDI) | 2 hr 40 min | — | — |
| Outage minutes excluding major storms | 172 | 139 | 121 |
Outages in counties served (2025)
From ORNL EAGLE-I, which tracks customers without power every 15 minutes. These counts cover every utility in each county. Weighted across Duke Energy Carolinas's counties, customers averaged 14 hr 30 min without power.
| County | Outage min/customer | Days with outages | Peak customers out | Worst day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson | 910,601 | 204 | 10,372 | 2025-05-17 |
| Alamance | 26,440 | 160 | 12,360 | 2025-07-07 |
| Chatham | 5,783 | 166 | 8,540 | 2025-07-07 |
| Durham | 5,570 | 216 | 14,303 | 2025-06-20 |
| Mecklenburg | 3,580 | 271 | 14,190 | 2025-11-19 |
| Caswell | 2,078 | 60 | 3,319 | 2025-05-04 |
| Orange | 1,742 | 117 | 23,235 | 2025-07-07 |
| Polk | 1,484 | 108 | 4,869 | 2025-07-28 |
| Wilkes | 1,422 | 128 | 7,053 | 2025-07-03 |
| Stokes | 1,381 | 107 | 2,689 | 2025-02-16 |
| Rutherford | 1,304 | 113 | 4,458 | 2025-11-20 |
| Catawba | 1,293 | 143 | 8,638 | 2025-07-10 |
| Buncombe | 1,259 | 171 | 20,155 | 2025-05-17 |
| Granville | 1,233 | 85 | 11,070 | 2025-10-09 |
| Rockingham | 1,151 | 141 | 4,040 | 2025-02-16 |
| Wake | 993 | 210 | 12,876 | 2025-06-25 |
| Cherokee | 968 | 129 | 6,850 | 2025-06-07 |
| Forsyth | 954 | 166 | 6,769 | 2025-08-01 |
| Guilford | 920 | 152 | 7,919 | 2025-06-27 |
| Rowan | 873 | 122 | 8,808 | 2025-08-26 |
| Surry | 810 | 129 | 5,411 | 2025-01-07 |
| Anson | 800 | 64 | 5,054 | 2025-08-13 |
| Person | 774 | 83 | 2,291 | 2025-01-06 |
| Yadkin | 636 | 68 | 1,677 | 2025-06-18 |
| McDowell | 598 | 87 | 2,048 | 2025-03-21 |
Duke Energy Carolinas service area
Duke Energy Carolinas serves 44 counties in North Carolina and 560 ZIP codes.
Alamance, Alexander, Anson, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Granville, Guilford, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Orange, Person, Polk, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Wake, Wilkes, Yadkin
Cities: Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Cary, High Point, Asheville, Concord, Gastonia, Chapel Hill, Huntersville, Burlington, Kannapolis, Apex, Hickory, Wake Forest, Indian Trail, Mooresville, Monroe, Salisbury, Matthews, Cornelius, Thomasville, Statesville, Asheboro, Mint Hill, Morrisville, Kernersville, Carrboro, Shelby, Clemmons, Lexington, Clayton, Boone, Lenoir, Morganton, Albemarle, Eden, Stallings
Programs, smart meters & solar
| Smart meters (AMI) for homes | 100% |
| Customers with daily usage data online | 1,961,108 |
| Time-based rate programs | Time-of-use rates, Critical peak pricing |
| Homes on time-based rates | 22,682 |
| Net-metered solar homes | 27,166 |
| Homes in demand response (e.g. thermostat rebates) | 231,741 |
| Residential efficiency incentives paid (2025) | $33,870,000 |
| Residential energy saved by programs | 374,878 MWh |
Duke Energy Carolinas at a glance
| Ownership | Investor-owned utility |
| Services | Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Wholesale Marketing, Bundled |
| Commercial rate | 9.74¢/kWh |
| Industrial rate | 8.14¢/kWh |
| Retail revenue (2025) | $6,327,229,000 |
| Electricity sold (2025) | 59,762,063 MWh |
| Peak demand | 18,814 MW summer · 18,896 MW winter |
| Power from own generation | 86% (rest purchased) |
| Line losses | 5.3% |
| Balancing authority | DUK |
| EIA utility ID | 5416 |
Other utilities in North Carolina
Frequently asked questions
What is Duke Energy Carolinas's electricity rate?
Duke Energy Carolinas residential customers pay an average of 13.94¢ per kWh, all charges included (EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07). That's 6% below the North Carolina average of 14.77¢ and 23% below the U.S. average.
What is the average Duke Energy Carolinas electric bill?
About $139 a month. The average Duke Energy Carolinas home uses 996 kWh a month. At 1,000 kWh the bill would be about $139.
How many customers does Duke Energy Carolinas have?
Duke Energy Carolinas serves 1,961,108 residential customers and 2,274,896 customers in total in North Carolina, across 44 counties.
How reliable is Duke Energy Carolinas?
In 2025, the average Duke Energy Carolinas customer was without power for 3 hr 36 min (SAIDI) over 1.35 interruptions (SAIFI), including major storms. Excluding major event days it was 2 hr 52 min. The North Carolina average was 3 hr 15 min and the U.S. average 4 hr 26 min.
Does Duke Energy Carolinas offer time-of-use rates?
Yes. The OpenEI rate database lists 8 time-of-use residential plans, including Residential Service (RES-55) Single Phase. Running big appliances off-peak can cut their cost. Pick the plan in the calculator above to see by how much.
Does Duke Energy Carolinas offer net metering for solar?
Duke Energy Carolinas had 27,166 residential net-metered customers in 2025 with 190.5 MW of capacity. Estimate solar savings at this utility's rate.
Sources: EIA-861 2025 and EIA-861M (through July 2026), OpenEI URDB, ORNL EAGLE-I, U.S. Census. Methodology. Spot an error? Rates change often, so confirm with Duke Energy Carolinas before making decisions.