COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Duke Energy Corp. plans to ask this week to increase rates in South Carolina.
Company spokesman Jason Walls said Tuesday the request will have to be approved by state regulators. He did not provide details of the amount, but did say new rates being requested Friday would likely go into effect in February 2012.
Duke wants to raise rates to offset the nearly $5 billion it has spent on its electricity generating and transmission system in the Carolinas since 2009.
The company has about 600,000 electricity customers in South Carolina and 1.8 million in North Carolina.
Last month, Duke asked North Carolina regulators to allow it to raise residential rates by 17 percent. That move would add about $19 to the average monthly home power bill of just over $97.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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