Selma Approves Electric Rate Hike For Residential, Commercial Customers
SELMA, N.C. – Town of Selma residential and commercial customers will soon pay more for electricity after the Town Council unanimously approved a rate increase that takes effect in May.
The increase raises residential rates by about 5.2 percent and larger commercial rates by roughly 8 percent. Public Utilities Director George Shook recommended the adjustment to offset a 4.1 percent wholesale increase from the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency that took effect April 1.
Interim Town Manager Phillip McDaniel said a typical residential customer using 2,000 kilowatt-hours per month will see an increase of about $8.60. He noted roughly 90 percent of Selma’s utility customers are residential.
Under the new structure, Selma’s residential single-phase base charge will increase from $16 to $21 per month, a 31.25 percent increase, while three-phase service rises from $27 to $33, a 22.22 percent increase. The per-kilowatt-hour rate will increase slightly from $0.11 to $0.1118.
Even with the increase, Selma’s rates remain largely in line with — and in some cases below — neighboring towns.
A comparison of local municipal utilities shows Benson’s residential customer charge is about $26 per month, higher than Selma’s new $21 rate, while Clayton’s base charge is around $21 and Smithfield’s is closer to $13.
Energy rates also vary across the region. Clayton customers pay roughly 12.19 cents per kilowatt-hour on average, compared to about 11.18 cents under Selma’s new rate.
In Benson, recent rate changes approved in March are expected to raise typical residential bills by more than $16 per month for average users, reflecting similar cost pressures faced by municipal systems.
Across North Carolina, municipal electric systems generally fall in a range of about 10.5 to 13.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, placing Selma near the lower end of that spectrum even after the increase.
By comparison, investor-owned utilities are often higher. Duke Energy Progress customers in eastern North Carolina average about 12.4 cents per kilowatt-hour, while Dominion Energy customers average around 13.5 cents.
Commercial customers in Selma will also see adjustments. Small business base rates will increase from $30 to $37 (up 23.33 percent), while medium commercial base rates rise from $65 to $85 (up 30.77 percent). Large commercial base rates will see the most significant jump, increasing from $200 to $500 (a 150 percent increase). Their per-kilowatt-hour rates have varying increases.
Mayor Byron McAllister said the town is facing the same challenges as utilities across the state.
“Utility rates are going up everywhere,” McAllister said, noting at least one nearby community has faced financial strain after delaying increases. “5.2 percent isn’t bad, it isn’t great, but it’s the cost of doing business.”
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Can we PLEASE open the coal mines back up now? Electricity was a heck of a lot cheaper when the power plants ran on coal.
My many friends in WV will tell you that there are still coal mines open – however all the good coal was mined decades ago. Now – they do mountaintop removal to get to the coal. That should be illegal. We aren’t growing new mountains.
Coal is nasty and dirty and not good for the environment nor the miners. Research black lung – killed many a miner. Coal is the actually the worst way to generate electricity. What do you plan to do with the 100 million tons or so of solid waste – fly ash and bottom ash that is created from coal power plants? It such dirty energy.
Going backwards is never the answer to progress.
We definitely need a better educated society as well….wow…
My Town of Selma bill is already high enough. Here you go Town take my whole check and my grocery money too. I already sit with no lights on at night..Dont make no sense robbing us like this! Js
I remember my first electric bill when I lived in the town limits of Selma – decades ago. I leaned then what Michael said below. If Selma would just switch to Duke outright – like many smaller towns need to do – Lucama is one also – the residents would probably see smaller utility bills. Do you get the one utility bill for electric, water, sewer and trash pickup? I would love to live back in town again – any town – but I know it means paying much more in electricity. Although I heat using propane and I will never do that again if I can help it. This is the first and last hose I will ever buy with that horrible heating system. Very expensive and we only use it for heat not for cooking or anything else. Everything has been going up since April 2025.
Only if you want Duke to keep charging you for coal ash cleanup.
No
People left Selma due to high electric rates over the year. The problem is Selma is the middle man. They buy the electricity and resell it to residents, and keep up the town electric department equipment supply needs and employees salaries and benefits. Customers buying direct from Duke Energy is the way to go.
Another victim of the foolish ElectriCities program.
So costs go up 4.1% to the town, so they raise rates 5 to 8%.
Sounds fair?
Exactly what would’ve happened if they voted against raising the rates would their electric supplier have shut off all the electricity in every house in Selma? I never understood why elected officials who claimed to do what’s in the best interest of cities and towns always vote to raise rates on utilities, thereby burdening every citizen and business in the area they serve. There’s got to be something in it for them other than just raising the rates it doesn’t make any sense to raise rates when it is totally optional.
This is crazy some residents can’t even save money especially the ones on low income or disability most of the financial goes towards electric in Selma and rent and mortgage is second bc the da*n lights are more than the da*n mortgage and they wonder why so many historic homes are abandoned and I guess by them building all these homes is supposed to solve the problem this is not the town I remember growing up in it’s completely trash and money hungry the improvements are great but what your causing the town is ridiculous!!!!