EPISODE · Apr 15, 2026 · 7 MIN
Topic Fuel Prices and Duke Energy and Light Bills; Piedmont Natural Gas
from The Charlie James Show Podcast
In the second segment of Hour 3, Charlie James shifted the focus from the gas pump to the rising costs of home utilities, drawing a direct line between global energy policies and the "sticker shock" South Carolinians are seeing on their Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas bills. He explored how the same inflationary pressures driving up fuel prices are bleeding into monthly light and heating expenses, leaving families with less disposable income at the end of the month. James criticized the regulatory environment that allows for consistent rate hikes, arguing that utility monopolies are passing the cost of "green" transitions and infrastructure mismanagement directly onto the consumer.
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00:00 Let's go to the WRD talk line. We'll talk to Jamie in Belton. How you doing, Jamie? What are you doing, brother? I'm just working, working, working. What's going on on a taxi? I tried to pay my taxes right now. What's going on, man? What did you wait until the day? No, no, no. In fact, it's worse than that, Jamie. We always file an extension. We always file an extension. Hey, whatever floats your boat. That's right. What's up, man? 00:30 Hey man, I've got a question a little bit off the books. mean, I've got a lot of things to say about what the heck's going on, but you know, God is almighty and it's all going to work out. Yeah. But you know, two months ago, I believe it was, I heard you say something. And once again, this is off the books of what we're talking about today. Yeah. But you know, I know down in the Lawrence County electric 01:00 district that you and your wife live in. I know your house is probably just uh a tad bit bigger than ours. Me and my wife live in the city of Belton under Duke Power Management. uh 01:17 And our house is probably 1100 square feet. It's a two bedroom, one and a half bath. And our power bill last month was $447. $447. Yes. Now we don't, we don't acclimate to the temperature change or nothing like that. I tell my wife, do not touch that thermostat. 01:48 Now in the summertime, I understand that our cooling system needs to be updated because it is an old house, right? Because it will run probably from eight o'clock till two, three o'clock in the morning. But finally it takes a break. But during that cold spell we had, I noticed that you said somebody was talking and I know you're under Lawrence electric. 02:15 And I know your house is a little bit bigger than mine, but you said your power bill was $98. That was for the electricity. Right. That didn't include the gas. No, I'm not speaking nothing about that. I'm talking about electric solely. with all your knowledge and all this, who do you actually contact because 02:44 It's not like you can go shopping for power. Hey, I don't want you guys to serve because you charge too much. I can't just up and say, Hey, Lawrence Electric, would you come all the way up here to Belton and put me in line in on your line? Yeah, I know. Cause you have better rates. A lot better rates. So, I mean, you know, what do you actually do to... Good night. $400? oh 03:12 And this month, which I'm getting ready to pay here after that cold spell we had is $337. 337. And I have not even turned my pool on yet because I haven't got uncovered and I'd only let it run half a day. Now these are summertime rates. I can't imagine when I take the cover off of this thing because the wife is adamant on me getting this pool open. Yeah. When I let this pool run half a day. 03:42 and the air condition running because we're getting in the nineties of what I'm going to see when my bill comes. It's probably going to be $700 flipping dollars. That's unbelievable. It is. The difference. is what we're dealing with. Oh my gosh. Jamie, don't know what the answer is, but something's got to be done about that. I would be embarrassed to tell you what my last election bill was. 04:12 Well, it was that low. Because I heard you say that one was 98 hours and I'm like, mine was just 440 something. Yeah. And I'm like, God, do we need to move to where we can get on Lawrence Electric power? I tell you what, that might be if I were a real estate agent, that's one thing I would be pushing. This is Lawrence Electric. You to live here. Jamie, I appreciate it. And I feel for you out there, man. Let's go to Lucy in Greenville. Lucy, how you doing? OK, that gentleman needs to know. 04:42 because i'd just found out uh... that duke energy had bought piedmont natural gas uh... and are when i have and then the reason piedmont natural gas came out what they put in a new meter and i think that one now and doing some way and keeping i was going to put some stuff over here ma'am it ...
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Topic Fuel Prices and Duke Energy and Light Bills; Piedmont Natural Gas
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