The public could find out how much more money they will be paying for electricity in the future Monday.

It is the deadline for Duke Energy to lay out its rate hike proposal.

Channel 9 went through the file at North Carolina’s Utility Commission overnight and found several emails from people begging the state not to let Duke Energy raise its rates again.

Just one year ago, the company was granted permission for a more than 7 percent raise.

The average home paid about $6 more per month.

But that was about half of what Duke Energy asked for then, but people from Wilmington to Charlotte have already told state regulators they can’t pay any more.

Some reference Duke’s controversial merger and CEO swap with Progress Energy.

Jim Hubbard wrote, “Tell them they had millions and millions to pay off the Progress Energy president, they should save and then build the plants and upgrades they want.”

North Carolina’s attorney general hasn’t spoken out yet on this rate hike, but he sued over Duke’s rate hike last year and the merger.

A manufacturing association is also opposing higher power bills.