Duke Energy Kentucky Rate Case

On Sept. 1, 2017, Duke Energy Kentucky made a request before the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KYPSC) to adjust customer bills. The request reflects important investments made to build a cleaner, smarter energy future for all Kentucky customers.

September 1, 2017
Duke Energy Kentucky files a request to adjust rates with the KYPSC.
Fall 2017
Duke Energy Kentucky demonstrates need for increase to KYPSC.
Winter 2018
KYPSC thoroughly reviews the request and schedules the hearing.
Spring 2018
KYPSC makes the final decision and adjusts rates, as appropriate.

Enhance reliability and customer experience

We continue to invest in the latest innovations to make electricity more reliable than ever and help customers take control of their energy use and manage their bills. Investments in this case include:

Smart meters to enable more energy-saving, bill-lowering tools for customers, faster service connection and convenience, and outage detection.
Targeted underground line relocation for customer lines that are hard to reach in rear yards to help improve reliability.
Modernizing the system by replacing aging overhead and underground power lines.

Managing coal ash responsibly

For decades, reliable, affordable electricity in Kentucky was made possible by coal. With coal came coal ash – the byproduct of decades of generating electricity from this resource to meet customer energy needs.

Investments at East Bend Station in Rabbit Hash, Ky., to meet new federal standards for coal combustion residuals include:

Safely closing existing ash basin and construction of a new on-site landfill to handle generator waste materials.
Detailed plans to convert East Bend Station’s wet ash handling system to a dry ash disposal system to comply with federal regulations.

The cost of these services, including compliance with state and federal regulations that govern our work, is a responsibility we all share as consumers of electricity so that the public and the environment are protected now and in the future.

Generating cleaner electricity for a brighter future

We work hard every day to keep costs reasonable for our customers and to avoid an increase to customer bills whenever possible. Recent work to modernize power plants, generate cleaner power, modernize how we manage coal ash and improve reliability while enabling more options for customers has made it necessary for Duke Energy to seek a change to customer bills to pay for these important investments. Investments in this case include:

An investment of $14.8 million in three solar sites in Walton and Crittenden that helps provide emissions-free energy to Kentucky homes and businesses.
Retirement of Miami Fort Unit 6 in 2015 that was dedicated to serving Kentucky customers. Miami Fort 6 was retired due to an inability to cost-effectively comply with federal air standards.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We work hard every day to keep costs reasonable for our customers and to avoid an increase to customer bills whenever possible. Recent work to modernize power plants, generate cleaner power, modernize how we manage coal ash and improve reliability while enabling more options for customers has made it necessary for Duke Energy to seek a change to customer bills to pay for these important investments.
For decades, reliable, affordable electricity in this state was made possible by coal. With coal came coal ash – the byproduct of decades of generating electricity from this resource. It’s a waste that was produced each time we turned on a light switch, watched a television or charged a mobile phone. In fact, a typical residential family today will generate several hundred pounds of coal ash each year from consuming electricity to meet its household needs.

But like any waste, we must ensure that coal ash is responsibly managed. As your local electric provider, it’s our job to take care of the waste, and we will do it responsibly. But the cost of that service is a responsibility we all share as consumers of electricity, so that the public and the environment are protected now and in the future.
First, Duke Energy Kentucky must demonstrate to the KYPSC why the rate increase is needed. The Kentucky Attorney General and other interested stakeholders audit our filings and vet the company’s request. The commission then thoroughly reviews our request. Later this year, or early next year, the commission will conduct a hearing and consider our written and oral testimony, along with viewpoints from others representing customer groups and other stakeholders. We expect a decision by spring 2018. Duke Energy Kentucky has requested that new rates, as approved by the KYPSC, go into effect spring 2018.
It’s important to us to give our customers more options to help them better manage energy and ultimately save money – so we’re connecting with our customers through new tools like usage updates, free home energy audits and a menu of energy-saving tips, programs and incentives for every budget. To find the right energy-saving program for your household, visit duke-energy.com/SaveEnergy.

We’re also proud to provide support to those customers who need it most through initiatives like the Neighborhood Energy Saver Program, which provides energy-saving upgrades at no cost to income-qualified homeowners.
Smart meters give customers more control and information about their daily energy use. This will enable automated meter reading, remote connects/disconnects and quicker outage detection. Additionally, smart meters are the one piece of technology necessary to enable more energy-saving, bill-lowering tools for customers. Deployment in Kentucky is beginning late summer and should be complete by December 2018.
It’s important to us to give our customers more options to help them better manage energy and ultimately save money – so we’re connecting with our customers through new tools like usage updates, free home energy audits and a menu of energy saving tips, programs, and incentives for every budget. To find the right energy-saving program for your household, visit duke-energy.com/SaveEnergy.

We’re also proud to provide support to those customers who need it most, through initiatives like the Neighborhood Energy Saver Program that provide energy-saving upgrades at no cost to income-qualified homeowners.
Smart meter technology enables customers to see how much power they use and when they use it, so they can reduce their monthly energy use and costs. Customers who have the meters can also choose their own billing schedule instead of having one assigned. Smart meters enable a two-way conversation with our computer systems, alerting us quickly about outages and helping us respond faster to restore service. In the future, a smart meter may even report the outage on your behalf.

Duke Energy Carolinas has installed more than a million smart meters in the Carolinas since 2012 and will continue to roll out the technology to ensure more customers benefit.
Investment in the development of new generation is a cost typically paid for by customers.

Duke Energy Carolinas has made an investment that will significantly reduce the time needed to develop a new nuclear plant when the utility determines it is most beneficial for meeting customer energy needs. While we are canceling further development of the Lee Nuclear project at this time, the license and other investments remain an important asset.

Cancelling the project now helps to keep costs lower for customers while also meeting the state's energy needs through the use of cost-effective natural gas, existing nuclear plants and expanded renewable energy. And it gives us the opportunity to benefit from the lessons learned from other utilities pursuing new nuclear generation, which will ultimately benefit customers when the appropriate time comes to build a new nuclear plant.

We are also continuing to evaluate options to extend the life of our existing nuclear fleet. Additional base load generation could potentially be needed for the Carolinas – dependent on the outcome of relicensing efforts for the existing Duke Energy nuclear fleet in the Carolinas.