Coalition seeks urgent meeting with Duke Energy to protect energy bill assistance for 87,000 households before year’s end

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RALEIGH (November 9, 2026) – With nearly 87,000 North Carolina households at risk of losing critical energy bill assistance in less than two months, the NC Justice Center, Southern Environmental Law Center, Democracy Green, and a coalition of 27 additional consumer, housing, environmental, faith, and community organizations are calling on Duke Energy to renew its Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and meet with coalition leaders before November 20 to discuss how to extend the program before it expires on December 31.

In a letter to Duke Energy State President Kendal C. Bowman, the coalition urges Duke to seek approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission to continue CAP beyond its initial three-year pilot. The coalition also requests a meeting with Duke’s executive regulatory and customer service leadership to discuss concrete procedural pathways for extending the program, including filing for an interim extension before the end of the year.

CAP provides eligible households with a $42 monthly credit on their electric bills, along with access to weatherization assistance and other no-cost energy-efficiency programs. The program was developed through years of collaboration between Duke Energy, consumer advocates, and other stakeholders to create a sustainable approach to energy affordability. Allowing the program to expire would be a devastating loss for the households who depend on this program and for the future of energy affordability in North Carolina.

“In a time of an energy affordability crisis, it is horrifying that Duke Energy would discontinue the only recurring direct assistance program it offers to help lower electricity bills for our state’s most vulnerable customers,” said Peter Gilbert, Director of Litigation at the NC Justice Center.

“If Duke does not move quickly, tens of thousands of our struggling neighbors will face a dramatic bill increase right after the Christmas season, when power bills are often at their highest,” said David Neal, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “We should be building on the success of the Customer Assistance Program, making sure these families get access to energy-saving weatherization and energy efficiency services on top of regular bill-payment assistance.”

Democracy Green Co-Founders Prof. La’Meshia Whittington and Ms. Sanja Whittington shared the following statement:

“True energy fairness for all requires solutions that meet disaster-affected communities where they live. Duke Energy’s proposal to rely on one-time payments or restrictive weatherization leaves critical coverage gaps, excluding renters and families whose storm-damaged roofs or mold issues prevent them from qualifying for assistance. One-time emergency aid cannot resolve an ongoing affordability crisis.

“Preserving the Customer Assistance Program is essential to ensure our neighbors can maintain basic electric service. Families recovering from disaster need consistent bill relief, without eligibility barriers that put help beyond reach when they need it most.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: 

Peter Gilbert, Director of Litigation, North Carolina Justice Center, 919-856-2125, peter@ncjustice.org

Prof. La’Meshia Whittington, President & Co-Founder, Democracy Green, 910-813-3757, president@democracygreen.net

Kathleen Sullivan, Senior Communications Manager, Southern Environmental Law Center, 919-945-7106, KSullivan@selc.org