NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – The cost to turn on your lights may or may not increase if you’re a resident in New Bern.
Electric rates are going up by 4.5% for five years, not for residents directly, but for the city itself.
New Bern’s wholesale power supplier, the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency, in partnership with Duke Energy, is the one driving up the rates, according to the New Bern utilities director, Charles Bauschard.
The city is working to figure out what the new rates for customers will be.
For one retired resident, hearing that rates may increase is concerning.
“We just bought a home, and I don’t know how that’s going to affect our budget. I’ll probably have to pick up a few more hours at work, which wasn’t my plan when I retired. But that’s probably what will happen,” New Bern resident Ruth Barton.
Residents aren’t the only ones concerned about potential rate increases.
Businesses in downtown New Bern are also bracing for impact, where higher electricity costs could squeeze already tight margins.
“I would hope that they wouldn’t increase it, or at least keep it the same, that would be nice,” Surf, Wind, and Fire head buyer Katie Triplett said.
Not every municipality’s electric rates will increase due to the power supply rate increase.
This comes as Kinston’s electric rates decreased by 4% back in October.
Kinston was able to decrease rates after signing a contract with Duke Energy in 2015, according to their utilities director, Steve Miller.
Miller adds that each municipality differs based on its budget.
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