New bill aims to lower energy bills in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE — A new bill in the North Carolina Statehouse hopes to lower your energy bills.

House Bill 1192, known as the Energy and Housing Affordability Act, calls for utilities, including Duke Energy, to share the cost of the fuels, such as coal and natural gas.

Customers pay that entire cost through the fuel rider.

This bill would split the cost 80%-20%, so the utility takes on some of the risk if prices spike or we use more than expected.

The bill also incentivizes big power users, including data centers, to provide some of their own energy through things, such as solar or battery storage.