Winterville approves temporary electric rate hike starting March 15

WINTERVILLE, N.C. (WITN) — The Winterville Town Council has voted to apply a temporary power cost adjustment to residents’ electric bills, with the increase set to begin March 15 and run through July 1.

The average resident will see their monthly electric bill increase from $45 to $55 during that period. The cost adjustment is at a rate of 5 cents per kWh.

Assistant Town Manager Anthony Bowers said rising natural gas prices have driven up power costs for the town, resulting in a budget shortfall of $766,000.

“That gets passed down to us in the form of a charge, and then we have to apply that to our budget,” Bowers said.

Bowers said the four-month window was selected because it falls during a period of lighter electricity usage for most residents.

“A residential customer typically doesn’t have to use so much electricity, HVAC isn’t running as much this time of year, so they’re not going to get hit with the heavy burden of high usage plus a higher rate,” Bowers said.

Winterville resident Savannah Williams said the increase will strain her finances, even knowing that it is temporary.

“I just think it’s bizarre, you know, with the economy and everything else… just already having to spend so much more,” Williams said.

Williams added, “I still feel like people just can’t take the strain, but it is nice to know that it’s just temporary.”

In other parts of the region, Kinston cut its electric rates by 4% in October. Greenville Utilities Commission told us it will reduce rates for typical residential customers by $1.30 on April 1.

New Bern aldermen are scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss a proposed electric rate hike. The public is invited to attend and weigh in on the proposal.

Copyright 2026 WITN. All rights reserved.