NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – The cost to turn on your lights may or may not increase if you\u2019re a resident in New Bern. <\/p>\n
Electric rates are going up by 4.5% for five years, not for residents directly, but for the city itself. <\/p>\n
New Bern\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n
The city is working to figure out what the new rates for customers will be. <\/p>\n
For one retired resident, hearing that rates may increase is concerning. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe just bought a home, and I don\u2019t know how that\u2019s going to affect our budget. I\u2019ll probably have to pick up a few more hours at work, which wasn\u2019t my plan when I retired. But that\u2019s probably what will happen,\u201d New Bern resident Ruth Barton. <\/p>\n
Residents aren\u2019t the only ones concerned about potential rate increases. <\/p>\n
Businesses in downtown New Bern are also bracing for impact, where higher electricity costs could squeeze already tight margins.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would hope that they wouldn\u2019t increase it, or at least keep it the same, that would be nice,\u201d Surf, Wind, and Fire head buyer Katie Triplett said. <\/p>\n
Not every municipality\u2019s electric rates will increase due to the power supply rate increase.<\/p>\n