Up & Coming Weekly

August 02, 2022

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 3 - 9, 2022 UCW 11 Base electric rates will not increase for Fayetteville residents through 2024 after action by the Public Works Commission on July 27. e public utility's board also voted unanimously to reduce customer fees for connections and other services as well as to introduce optional electricity rates aimed to support conservation and economic- development goals. Elaina Ball, CEO and general manager of Fayetteville PWC, has said that customers requested many of the changes. A public hearing on the proposed new electricity rates was held July 13. PWC's new whole-home and whole-business rates will provide additional incentives for off-peak energy use by introducing a "super" off-peak rate that is half the current off-peak electric rate. Cus- tomers who sign up for the new rates would pay a slightly higher facility charge but, at the same time, pay a significantly lower rate for energy used from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays. During those hours, PWC spokeswoman Carolyn Justice-Hinson said, the cost would be a little over 4 cents per kilowatt hour. e cost during peak hours would be about 13.2 cents, and during off-peak hours it would be 8.4 cents. "e rate supports PWC's continuing efforts to reduce energy-demand costs and provides op- tions for electric vehicle owners to charge during low-demand hours that lessen electric and vehicle impact on the electric system," Justice-Hinson said in support documents. ree years ago, the utility introduced time-of-use rates to help decrease energy demand and apply the same pricing structure that PWC has with Duke Energy, its wholesale power supplier. During peak weekday electricity use, PWC said, power costs are significantly higher than at other times of the day. Shifting energy use outside peak hours helps the utility lower overall power costs and maintain lower rates. In February 2023, PWC will begin offering a renewable-energy buyback rate for customers who install roof-top solar-energy devices. e rate will be available for residential and small power customers that generate 10 kilowatts of power or less. e rate will replace PWC's buy-all, sell-all rates for rooftop solar. PWC also adopted a new economic development rate for customers who supply 1,000-kilowatt loads to the PWC system or 750 kilowatts through expansion. e discounted rate, effective in September, rewards employee and capital investments and is intended to be another economic development tool to attract new business or encourage expansion. Also taking effect in September is a plan to change PWC's demand and energy rate for medium-power customers to continue PWC's efforts to manage peak-hour usage. Justice-Hinson said the rate lowers the demand threshold from 200 to 150 kilowatts and has a 15% lower kilowatt charge. Customers currently in the rate classification will have the option to sign up for the new rate in September. at rate will be applied to medium-power cus- tomers in September 2023. Other changes to the PWC rate structure include reductions in fees for connections, reconnections and meter testing. e initial connection fee would drop from $22 to $20; the after-hours connection fee would decrease from $65 to $20; the disconnection attempt fee would drop from $22 to $20; the meter testing fee for electricity would decrease from $50 to $25; and the meter testing fee for water would fall from $85 to $40. ose savings, PWC said, are achieved by im- proved technology and operations. PWC will maintain base electricity rates through 2024 by MICHAEL FUTCH, CityView Today NEWS Help your kids to develop reading and critical thinking skills by playing games, solving puzzles, and reading exciting educational stories! MICHAEL FUTCH, CityView Today. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. We are Open! Elegant Customer Service Awaits You 2828 Raefd Rd. 910-988-7777 www.fayettevillepiccadillycircus.com Hours Mon-Sat 10-6 • Sun 12-5 SAVE THE DATE!

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