The higher-priced Duke NC utility
Duke Energy Progress's average residential electricity price has risen from 11.01 cents per kWh in 2015 to 15.54 cents in 2024, an increase of about 41 percent, or roughly 3.9 percent per year. The chart shows Duke Progress's average residential price by year. Hover any point for the exact figure.
Same NC rules, a higher-rate utility
What matches Duke Carolinas
The net-billing framework is identical: full retail Rider NM closed in 2023, new customers take Rider RSC (mandatory time-of-use, minimum bill, avoided-cost exports) or the temporary Rider NMB bridge, and pre-2023 customers keep legacy net metering through the transition. Solar customers keep their renewable energy credits.
What differs
Duke Progress simply charges more. Its typical bill runs higher than Duke Carolinas, near 16 cents per kWh all in, so each kWh of self-consumed solar saves a bit more here. The rate rise over the decade, about 41 percent, has also been steeper than its sister utility's.
Current residential rates
Duke Progress residential rates are shown below, from the utility's published tariffs and the public Utility Rate Database. Rates vary by plan, season, and usage and change over time.
| Plan | Energy charge | Fixed / basic |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Service (Schedule RS, standard) | A typical 1,000 kWh residential bill runs about $162 per month as of late 2025, roughly 16.2 cents per kWh all in | included above |
| Residential Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing | Required for new solar customers under Rider RSC; prices vary by time of day and include a critical-peak period | see schedule |
The typical-bill figure is from Duke's approved North Carolina rate case. Duke Energy Progress' 2023 multi-year rate plan (Docket E-2, Sub 1300) raised rates in three annual steps through October 2025, and a new rate case for 2027 and 2028 (Docket E-2, Sub 1380) was filed in November 2025 and is pending before the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Confirm current figures on Duke's North Carolina rate pages.
Net billing, same as Duke Carolinas
North Carolina ended traditional 1:1 net metering for Duke. The full-retail Rider NM closed to new customers on September 30, 2023, and revised riders took effect October 1, 2023. New residential rooftop solar customers choose between Rider RSC (Residential Solar Choice), the standard permanent option, and a temporary, capacity-limited Rider NMB (Net Metering Bridge). Under Rider RSC you must take service on a time-of-use rate with critical peak pricing, a minimum monthly bill and non-bypassable charges apply, and monthly net exports are credited at the utility's avoided-cost rate rather than the retail rate. Rider NMB does not require the time-of-use schedule and can be held for up to 15 years, but it is capacity-limited, and new customers are being moved onto Rider RSC. Customers who installed before the change keep their legacy net metering through the transition, and solar customers keep their renewable energy credits. The rider terms are materially identical to Duke Energy Carolinas; Duke Progress simply has the higher underlying rates. Because exports now earn avoided cost rather than retail, the value of solar leans toward using your own generation on site. Whether solar makes sense depends on your usage, roof, and rate plan, so get a site-specific quote.
What rising Duke Progress rates could cost you
Duke Progress rates have risen about 3.9% per year. Enter your bill to see what that pace of increase could compound to over time, and what you have likely already absorbed. This is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Estimate only. Projects your current bill forward at Duke Progress's historical average rate increase (3.9% per year, from EIA data); it assumes your usage stays the same except for any add-ons you select. Actual rates depend on your usage, rate plan, and the utility's future filings, and are not guaranteed. This is general information, not financial advice.
Higher rates, same design
Duke Energy Progress plays by the same North Carolina rules as Duke Carolinas: since October 2023, new rooftop customers take net billing rather than 1:1 net metering, with exports credited at avoided cost and the standard Rider RSC requiring a time-of-use rate with critical peak pricing. If you have compared the two Duke utilities, the net-metering mechanics are the same.
The difference is the rate level. Duke Progress is the higher-priced of the two, near 16 cents all in, which makes self-consumed solar a touch more valuable here. As with Duke Carolinas, the design leans toward using your own generation on site and considering a battery for the peak hours. Get a site-specific quote on the rider and rate you will be on.
Full data and sources
Per-utility prices are computed from EIA Form 861 (bundled residential revenue divided by sales), which reconciles to the EIA's published figures. These are public-domain U.S. government data.
| Year | Duke Progress (c/kWh) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 11.01 |
| 2016 | 10.78 |
| 2017 | 10.37 |
| 2018 | 11.12 |
| 2019 | 11.83 |
| 2020 | 11.53 |
| 2021 | 11.61 |
| 2022 | 12.18 |
| 2023 | 14.18 |
| 2024 | 15.54 |
Sources: EIA Form 861 annual data (Sales_Ult_Cust files, 2015-2024) · EIA Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price (Table 6) · NC Public Staff: net metering (Rider RSC and NMB) · Duke Energy Progress 2023 NC rate case, approval release · North Carolina Utilities Commission
Duke Progress service area
Duke Progress serves the Raleigh area, eastern North Carolina, and the Asheville area.
To confirm whether a specific address is served by Duke Progress, check your electricity bill. A ZIP lookup tool is coming to this site.
FAQ
How is Duke Energy Progress solar different from Duke Energy Carolinas?
The net-metering rules are materially identical, both use North Carolina's net-billing framework with Rider RSC and the temporary Rider NMB since October 2023, avoided-cost exports, and a mandatory time-of-use rate under RSC. The difference is price: Duke Progress has the higher rates of the two, so self-consumed solar saves a bit more.
Does Duke Progress still offer 1:1 net metering?
Not for new customers. The full retail Rider NM closed on September 30, 2023, and new residential rooftop customers take net billing under Rider RSC or the temporary Rider NMB, with exports credited at avoided cost rather than the retail rate.
Do I need a time-of-use rate to go solar on Duke Progress?
Under the standard Rider RSC, yes, a time-of-use rate with critical peak pricing is required. The temporary Rider NMB does not require it but is capacity-limited. Model the time-of-use plan you will actually be on, since it changes what self-consumed solar is worth by hour.
Is solar worth it on Duke Energy Progress?
The higher rates help the case relative to Duke Carolinas, but exports now earn avoided cost rather than retail, so the value comes from self-consumption and often a battery for peak hours. Get a site-specific quote on the actual rider and rate plan rather than a general estimate.