When I moved back home to care for my mother, who lives on a fixed income, I took over the responsibility of our household expenses, including the soaring energy bills. The reality of these devastating costs quickly became clear, leaving me deeply concerned for families like ours. My Mother should never have to choose between medication, food, rent, or simply keeping the lights on.

This is not just my family’s reality it’s the reality for countless North Carolina families facing uncertainty as Duke Energy proposes significant rate increases. These hikes place an unfair burden on those with limited incomes: the elderly, disabled, single-parent households, and working families already struggling to make ends meet. Energy is a basic necessity, and access to it should never be sacrificed for corporate profit.

According to the North Carolina Utilities Commission, these proposals could raise the average household bill by up to 16%. In a state where more than 30% of families are considered low-income, that increase could mean the difference between stability and crisis.

We urge Duke Energy to reconsider these rate hikes and instead invest in energy efficiency, expand assistance programs, and pursue sustainable solutions that lower (not raise) costs for consumers.

This is also an ELECTION YEAR. Our elected officials are meant to serve the people - not corporations with the resources to lobby for higher profits. We need leaders who will stand up for North Carolina families, hold utility companies accountable, and take action to protect the most vulnerable. If they won’t, voters will remember in November.

Sign this petition and make it clear: North Carolina families deserve fair, affordable energy—not impossible choices.

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