Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC Rate Selection Guide
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, serving roughly 2.9 million customers across North Carolina and South Carolina as a fully regulated monopoly. Commercial customers can download 15-minute interval data for free through the Business Experience portal or via Energy Profiler Online ($15/meter). A new North Carolina Customer Data Access Program, approved July 2025, will add API and Green Button Connect My Data access during 2025-2026.
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule SGS | Commercial (small) | Tiered energy ~$0.067-$0.114/kWh (blended ~$0.08/kWh); fixed ~$24.53-$27.92/mo | Small businesses under 75 kW demand |
| Schedule LGS | Commercial/Industrial (large) | Tiered energy ~$0.05-$0.115/kWh + demand ~$3.63/kW (after first 30 kW) | Larger commercial/industrial loads over 75 kW |
| Schedule OPT / OPT-V (TOU) | Commercial/Industrial TOU | Time-of-use energy + tiered on-peak/mid-peak demand charges | Customers that can shift load off peak |
| Schedule I | Industrial (large) | Demand-based industrial rate with seasonal energy + ratchet (see tariff) | Large industrial facilities |
Market Overview
Both North Carolina and South Carolina are fully regulated monopoly markets with no retail electric choice. Duke Energy Carolinas is the vertically integrated provider, regulated by the NCUC and PSCSC. There is no certified-supplier program in the Carolinas (unlike Duke Energy Ohio).
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) is a fully regulated vertically integrated utility serving central/western North Carolina and parts of South Carolina under tariffs approved by the NCUC and SCPSC. Commercial and industrial customers are classified primarily by demand level: Small General Service (SGS) for smaller loads, Large General Service (LGS) above 75 kW, the Optional Power Service time-of-use schedule (OPT/OPT-V) which can provide bill savings for customers able to shift load off peak, and Schedule I for large industrial loads. Energy charges are tiered and seasonal; large schedules carry significant demand charges and a demand ratchet. Rates reflect DEC's NCUC multi-year rate plan approved December 2023.
Effective: January 15, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule SGS - Small General Service | Commercial (small) | Nonresidential customers with demand of 75 kW or less; customer moves to Schedule LGS if measured demand exceeds 75 kW in any month. | Tiered, seasonal energy charge (kWh/kW blocks) with a fixed monthly customer charge; minimal/no separate demand charge at low usage. Single- and three-phase service. | Tiered energy roughly $0.067-$0.114/kWh depending on block; blended ~$0.08/kWh (2024). Fixed customer charge ~$24.53-$27.92/month.+ Blended demand component increased from ~$3.49/kW to ~$5.20/kW with the Jan 2024 rate change for higher-use SGS customers. |
| Schedule LGS - Large General Service | Commercial/Industrial (large) | Individual customers with demand of more than 75 kW; customer reverts to SGS if demand is 75 kW or less for twelve consecutive months. | Tiered, seasonal kWh/kW energy blocks plus a separate kW demand charge with a demand ratchet. Available at secondary, primary, and transmission voltage. | Tiered energy roughly $0.051-$0.115/kWh by block (first/second tiers higher, tail blocks ~$0.05-$0.07/kWh) per OpenEI URDB filing.+ Approximately $3.63/kW after the first 30 kW (first 30 kW of demand at no charge) per 2024 filing; subject to a 70% annual demand ratchet. |
| Schedule OPT / OPT-V - Optional Power Service (Time-of-Use) | Commercial/Industrial TOU | Optional schedule available to qualifying general service and industrial customers; OPT-V offers time-of-use pricing with voltage differential for secondary, primary, and transmission service. | Time-of-use with nested tiers; separate on-peak and mid-peak tiered demand charges. Billing demand set to highest of on-peak measured demand, 50% of contract demand, or 15 kW minimum. Summer on-peak 1 p.m.-9 p.m. weekdays (Jun 1-Sep 30); winter on-peak mornings (Oct 1-May 31). Power-factor correction below 85%. | Specific TOU energy/demand $ figures vary by voltage tier and period; see tariff book. Designed to reward off-peak load shifting.+ Separate tiered on-peak and mid-peak demand charges (TOU with nested tiers structure added Jan 2024). |
| Schedule I - Industrial Service | Industrial (large) | Large industrial customers; also a qualifying schedule (with LGS and OPT-V) for DEC economic development rate incentives in the Carolinas. | Demand-based industrial tariff with seasonal energy charges and a kW demand charge plus demand ratchet; available at primary/transmission voltage. Time-of-use variant (IT) available. | Energy and demand $ figures per voltage tier published in the DEC tariff book; not reproduced here to avoid asserting unverified values.+ Significant per-kW demand charge with ratchet; see tariff book for current values. |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Commercial peak demand reduction
Pull free 15-minute interval data to identify and shave peak demand intervals.
Demand charges dominate C&I bills, and the Business portal provides 15-minute data at no cost, making demand analysis straightforward.
- Download up to 24 months of 15-minute CSV data from the Business portal
- Look for recurring peak intervals tied to specific equipment
Advanced interval analytics for energy management
Use Energy Profiler Online for richer interval analytics and exports.
EPO offers structured 15-minute consumption and demand data with CSV/XML export suited to EnergyCAP and similar tools.
- Confirm demand >=30 kW and interval-capable meter
- Budget $15/meter/month under the MROP rider
Demand response participation
Enroll in PowerShare to earn bill credits for curtailment or data sharing.
PowerShare credits (~$6.50/kW) reward C&I customers that can curtail during peak events or share real-time data.
- Evaluate data-only enrollment if curtailment is not feasible
- Track events and credits in the MyDuke portal
Automated third-party data feeds
Prepare for API and Green Button CMD access under the 2025 NC program.
The NCUC-approved NC Customer Data Access Program (July 2025 order, Docket E-100 Sub 161) will enable OAuth-based Green Button feeds within 18 months of the order. Customers get two years of their own data free; authorized third parties pay commission-approved fees that have not yet been finalized.
- Register and complete NIST cybersecurity attestation early
- Plan OAuth 2.0 integration for Green Button CMD
Historical Rate Trends
DEC's current C&I rates reflect a multi-year rate plan approved by the North Carolina Utilities Commission in an order issued December 15, 2023, with phased increases in 2024-2026. Annual fuel-cost adjustments can move rates up or down independently of the base-rate plan.
December 15, 2023
NCUC approved DEC's multi-year rate plan: total ~14.6% over three years (slightly below the 15.7% requested), structured as ~8.3% in year one, ~3.3% in year two, and ~3% in year three.
14.6% (3-year total)January 15, 2024
First step of the multi-year plan took effect (~8.3% net increase, ~$436M in retail revenue). C&I rate redesign included a shift to a 70% annual demand ratchet with a 30 kW minimum and tiered/TOU charge-type changes (SGS blended demand rose from ~$3.49/kW to ~$5.20/kW).
~8.3%January 1, 2025
Second step of the multi-year plan (~3.3%, ~$173M in retail revenue).
~3.3%January 1, 2026
Third/final step of the multi-year plan (~3%, ~$165M in retail revenue).
~3%Overall trend: increasing
Next expected change: A roughly 3% base-rate increase took effect January 2026 as the final step of the 2023 NCUC multi-year plan; the next general rate case is expected to set rates thereafter, with annual fuel riders adjusting in the interim.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because DEC C&I bills are driven by both tiered energy charges and per-kW demand charges (with a 70% annual ratchet on larger schedules), the highest-leverage savings come from demand management, schedule selection, and time-of-use load shifting.
Optimize rate schedule selection
For: SGS, LGS, OPT-V, Schedule I
Confirm the facility is on the lowest-cost applicable schedule. Customers near the 75 kW threshold should evaluate SGS vs LGS, and load-flexible sites should model OPT/OPT-V time-of-use against standard LGS/Schedule I.
Demand (peak kW) management
For: LGS, OPT-V, Schedule I
Stagger equipment startups and shave coincident peaks to lower billed demand. The 70% annual demand ratchet means a single high-demand month inflates charges for the following year, so avoiding spikes is especially valuable.
Shift load to off-peak on TOU
For: OPT-V and TOU variants
On OPT/OPT-V, shift discretionary load out of summer on-peak (1-9 p.m. weekdays) and winter morning on-peak windows to lower TOU energy and on-peak demand charges.
Power factor correction
For: OPT-V and other PF-adjusted schedules
Maintain power factor at or above 85% to avoid the corrective demand adjustment that multiplies billed kW when average power factor falls below 85% on TOU schedules.
Pursue economic development incentives
For: LGS, Schedule I, OPT-V
New or expanding industrial loads on LGS, Schedule I, or OPT-V may qualify for DEC's Carolinas economic development rate riders and incentives.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How do commercial customers get 15-minute interval data from Duke Energy Carolinas?▾
Commercial customers download 15-minute interval data for free through the Business Experience portal (Track & Manage Energy Costs > View and Download Usage Data > 15-minute increments, exported as CSV). Customers with demand of 30 kW or more can also use Energy Profiler Online for $15/meter/month.
What is the 2025 North Carolina Customer Data Access Program?▾
Approved by the NCUC on July 16, 2025, the program will provide formal first- and third-party data access through a web portal, REST API, Green Button Connect My Data, and file download. Implementation is underway during 2025-2026, with API endpoints and a third-party fee structure still being finalized.
Does Duke Energy Carolinas support Green Button Connect My Data?▾
Not yet. Green Button CMD (OAuth 2.0 automated third-party access aligned with NAESB REQ.21) is referenced in the 2025 NC program and expected to launch in 2025-2026. Commercial customers can already download interval data as CSV today.
Is there retail electric choice in the Carolinas?▾
No. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are fully regulated monopoly markets with no retail electric choice. Duke Energy Carolinas is the vertically integrated provider; there is no certified-supplier program (unlike Duke Energy Ohio).
How far back does Duke Energy Carolinas data go?▾
Billing data is available for 24 months in most portals. Commercial interval data is typically available for 12-24 months depending on meter deployment date.
What EDI transactions does Duke Energy Carolinas support?▾
EDI in the regulated Carolinas markets is limited to procurement and B2B use (e.g., 850 PO, 810 Invoice, 820 Payment, 856 ASN, 997 Ack on ANSI X12). The comprehensive certified-supplier EDI program with historical interval data applies to Duke Energy Ohio, not the Carolinas.
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