Duke Energy looking to combine utility companies in the Carolinas

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WNCN) — Duke Energy is looking to merge its two subsidiaries in the Carolinas, a move the company says will make it more efficient and lead to reductions in energy costs for customers.

The Charlotte-based energy company currently owns Duke Energy Progress — which covers most of the eastern and central parts of North Carolina and South Carolina, including the Triangle — and Duke Energy Carolinas, which services much of the western areas of both states.

Since the merger of Duke Energy and Progress Energy in 2012, the two have been run by their parent company as two separate utilities. On Thursday, Duke Energy announced it has formally asked regulators at both the state and federal levels for permission to combine operations with a target merger date of Jan. 1, 2027.

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