Get ready for a warmer winter as La Niña makes a comeback, bringing below-normal snowfall to our area. 

La Niña returns: Expect warmer winter with below-normal snowfall for Triangle in 25-26

winter weather snow showers

Michelle Mackonochie - familiar to WRAL viewers after five years as part of the morning news team - will anchor the 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts with Dan Haggerty, and the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Gerald Owens. 

WRAL welcomes Michelle Mackonochie to evening newscasts beginning Jan. 5

Michelle Mackonochie

What it really means to be an organ and bone marrow donor

Stay up to date with WRAL’s Energy prices news and reporting coverage

Energy prices News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

Energy prices Coverage

Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026-- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist

DRAUGHON DRAWS: Duke Energy's rate hike runaround

Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025--Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist

DRAUGHON DRAWS: Duke Energy rate hikes might turn Rudoff

North Carolina's $208 million Energy Saver NC program launches Thursday, offering rebates up to $8,000 for heat pumps to cut energy costs, reduce emissions and improve public health.

Cut energy costs and stay warm: Heat pumps gain popularity in NC

Wyatt Blanton, a project manager at Blanton's Heating and Air, said his company has more customers asking about heat pumps because they're environmentally friendly and can save money.

With Duke Energy prices potentially skyrocketing, viewers are trying to figure out how to save.

>> YOU KNOW, SUMMARY. >> ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. AND WELCOME TO IN-DEPTH. THIS IS WHERE WE LOOK A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY. CERTAIN TOPICS AND THEN HAVE A DISCUSSION. SEND YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK TO DAN AT WRAL DOT COM AND THE GUY IN THE SNAZZY SUIT WILL GET YOU SOME ANSWERS IF WE CAN LIKE A VIEWER NAMED ALEX WHO ASKED ABOUT DUKE'S POLICY OF WIPING OUT SOLAR ENERGY CREDITS ONCE A YEAR. HE SAID WHEN MY SYSTEM PRODUCES MORE ENERGY THAN WE CAN USE, THE EXCESS GETS PUSHED TO THE GRID ONCE A YEAR. DUKE WIPES ANY CREDIT BALANCE TO YOUR ACCOUNT. THIS POTENTIALLY THIS PRACTICE ESSENTIALLY AMOUNTS TO THEFT. HE SAID THAT SOME MORE QUESTIONS FOR ALEX ABOUT ALL I GAVE HIM A QUICK CALL. >> I SAY THAT SCREENSHOT. AND AT THAT TIME I HAVE ALMOST A MEGAWATT. CREDIT BALANCE. AND THAT'S FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT. I MEAN, THAT'S ANYWHERE FROM LIKE A. ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO $250. ROUGHLY. >> ALEX AND I WORKED REALLY HARD AT FRAMING THAT SHOT. HE WAS HIDING OUT DOWN THERE IN THE CORNER. I DID SEND ALEX'S CONCERNS TO DUKE ENERGY AND A SPOKESPERSON SENT ME THIS THE NC UTILITIES COMMISSION SET UP THE NET METERING THIS WAY IN 2005, BECAUSE THE VALUE OF ENERGY VARIES BY SEASON. STILL, THE POLICY DOES NOT LEAD TO A GOOD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. SO DUKE CHANGE THE POLICY TO NO LONGER 0 OUT ANY CREDITS AND SAID IT'S SET TO GO IN EFFECT FOR NEW NET METERING CUSTOMERS ON OCTOBER FIRST, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE PRETTY GOOD NEWS FOR ALEX AND ALL THE OTHER. ALEX IS OUT THERE WHO USE SOLAR AND WHAT THOSE CREDITS. I STILL WANT SOME MORE CLARITY, THOUGH, LIKE WOULD ALEX BE CONSIDERED A NEW NET METERING CUSTOMER IS HE IS AN OLD ONE OR ARE THOSE JUST SEMANTICS AND DOESN'T REALLY MATTER? REGARDLESS, THOUGH, ALEX, YOU WEREN'T ALONE IN YOUR FEELING AND THE POLICY IS CHANGING. NOW, THIS DISCUSSION SPURRED FROM THE WRAL INVESTIGATES PIECE CALLED ELECTRIC SHOCKS. HERE'S WHY DUKE ENERGY COULD DOUBLE YOUR MONTHLY POWER BILL IN THE COMING YEARS. AND MY REPORTING ABOUT DUKE'S UNIQUE POSITION AS A PUBLICLY TRADED FOR-PROFIT MONOPOLY MONITORED BY A GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE AND HOW SOME LAWMAKERS AND VOTERS ARE CONSIDERING DIFFERENT MARKET STRUCTURES. A NEW STATEWIDE POLL SHOWS VOTERS FROM ACROSS PARTY LINES SUPPORT MORE COMPETITION AND CONSUMER CHOICE IN THEIR ENERGY PROVIDERS. MORE THAN 80% OF VOTERS SUPPORT A STUDY TO EXAMINE OPTIONS FOR MODERNIZING DUKE ENERGY'S MONOPOLY TO PROVIDE MORE COMPETITION AND DIRECT SALES FROM OTHER PROVIDERS. NOT TO MENTION SOME OF OUR VIEWERS ARE FRANKLY TERRIFIED BY THE PROSPECT OF THEIR ELECTRIC BILL. DOUBLING PAMELA LIVES IN RURAL SAMPSON COUNTY AND SAID I'M A SCHOOL CAFETERIA WORKER. MY HUSBAND'S ON SOCIAL SECURITY. IF DUKE DOUBLES THE PRICES, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WILL MANAGE. I CAN'T AFFORDS SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO UPGRADE MY SYSTEM EITHER. SHE HAS A 2 STORY HOME, A BEAUTIFUL HOME. BUT USES ELECTRIC TO HEATED IN THE WINTER. HER CHEAPEST WINTER BILL. SHE SHARED THIS WITH ME. THIS IS A BILL FROM JANUARY WITH $563. DOUBLE THAT. AND IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME SIMILAR CONCERNS. LET ME KNOW. I'M WORKING TO GET SOME ANSWERS FOR PAMELA RIGHT NOW. PROGRAM. SHE CAN USE GROUPS THAT COULD HELP HER OUT ANY OPTIONS THAT COULD EASE HER ANXIETY OVER ALL OF THIS. SO PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND. E-MAIL ME AT DAN AT WRAL DOT COM. I CAN GET YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE. THIS IS A SEGMENT THAT IS FOR YOU, BUT YOU HAVE TO

In Depth with Dan: Answering viewer questions about how to save on Duke Energy bills

Residents in the Triangle want to turn to solar energy but are concerned about how affordable it is. But a coalition of cities, towns and counties are discussing ways to make solar energy more affordable.

30 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET. GO TO WRAL DOT COM. >> NEW TONIGHT, A COALITION OF LOCAL CITIES, TOWNS AND COUNTIES ARE DISCUSSING WAYS TO MAKE SOLAR ENERGY MORE AFFORDABLE. WRAL'S JULIAN GRACE IS LIVE IN RALEIGH, HIGHLIGHTING THE COALITION'S EFFORT TO SOLARIZE HOMES. JULIAN. >> WELL, DEBORAH, SWITCHING TO SOLAR ISN'T THE EASIEST A COSTLY ONE ABOUT $24,000. AND ONE HOMEOWNER TELLS ME HE'S SEEN AS UTILITY BILL GO FROM $150 A MONTH TO $14 A MONTH. BUT THOSE SAVINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS INSTANT. >> ROOFTOP SOLAR SYSTEMS ARE POPPING UP IN THE TRIANGLE AND THOSE THAT INVEST IN THEM HAVE THE REASONS WE CONCERNED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, WORRIES ABOUT THE COST OF ENERGY. WEIGH HEAVILY ON HOMEOWNERS. WE WATCHED AS PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT HIGH WIRE BREWING IN DURANT TO LEARN HOW THEY CAN SAVE MONEY. ONE ASSIST ENERGY COSTS GO UP. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO USE FOSSIL FUEL FOR VERY GOOD REASONS. CLIMATE CHANGE SOLARIZE THE TRIANGLE IS USING CROWDSOURCING TO MAKE ROOFTOP SOLAR SYSTEMS MORE AFFORDABLE. >> THE WAY IT WORKS, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT SIGN UP FOR THE SYSTEM TO LOWER THE COST OF THE SYSTEM PER PERSON AND A SYSTEM CAN START AROUND. $22,000. ANY REGRETS SO FAR? >> NO, NOT AT ALL. ARE WE WERE WE REGRET THAT WE DID. WE DIDN'T STARTED SOONER. GREG BELL HAD A SYSTEM INSTALLED 3 WEEKS AGO. HE ESTIMATES HE WILL SAVE ABOUT $8,000 ON THE SYSTEM. >> DUE TO THE COALITION AND TAX REBATES AND OVER TIME HE BELIEVES THE SYSTEM WILL PAY FOR ITSELF. THE PAYBACK PERIOD IS ABOUT 16 YEARS. >> BETTER. PAYBACK PERIOD WOULD 10 YEARS. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE MONEY AND WE'RE GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HELP. BE MORE SUSTAINABLE. >> SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT PATIENT. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT. THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY AND ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS OUT THERE. WILL THIS INCREASE THE VALUE OF MY HOME ON ACCORDING TO FORBES MAGAZINE, IT WILL.

Residents want affordable solar energy for their homes

The company's proposal says customers for an average home would pay an additional $25.55 per month by October 2025.

AT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND BULLET STRUCK THE SHOPPING CENTER THERE. BUT NO ONE WAS HURT IN THAT SHOOTING. TONIGHT, OUTRAGE AMONG DUKE ENERGY PROGRESS CUSTOMERS ABOUT A PROPOSED RATE HIKE. RATES COULD GO UP BY AS MUCH AS $25 BY OCTOBER OF 2025. >> WRAL'S JULIAN GRACE SAID IN ON THAT MEETING TONIGHT, JULIAN, MOST WERE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED. I IMAGINE. >> WE KNOW YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THERE WERE SOME PRETTY COMPELLING ARGUMENTS AGAINST THAT RATE HIKE INSIDE THIS BUILDING HERE EARLIER TONIGHT. AND ALSO I SPOKE TO A DUKE ENERGY REPRESENTATIVE AND HE TELLS ME THE HIKE WOULD STRENGTHEN WIRES AND ALSO IMPROVE RESPONSE TIMES DURING A BLACKOUT. >> THE REASON I'M HERE IN FRONT OF A BOARD OF 6 UTILITY COMMISSIONERS, DUKE ENERGY CUSTOMERS GAVE TESTIMONY WHY THEY CAN'T AFFORD A RATE HIKE. ULTIMATELY THIS PROPOSAL DOESN'T MEET THE NEEDS OF NORTH CAROLINIANS THAT WE BOUGHT A HOUSE HERE IN 2014. EXPECTING THIS TO BE RETIREMENT. THE RATES ARE GETTING OUT OF HAND. WE ARE LOOKING TO RELOCATE AGAIN. WHAT I AM. WITH MIKE IS. >> THE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA. TO INTERFERE IN THE HALF AS WELL. THAT THEY'VE DONE IN OTHER STATES. BY NOT IS NOT THE BEGINNING. OCTOBER FIRST, THE MONTHLY IMPACT FOR TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER WOULD SEE AN 11% INCREASE WHICH WOULD TOTAL ABOUT $14 AND $0.72. >> AND A 5% INCREASE IN OCTOBER OF 2024. AND THEN A 4.7% INCREASE IN 2025. BRINGING THE TOTAL RATE HIKE TO $25.55. WE AS A DUKE ENERGY WRAP. IF THE COMPANY HAS EXHAUSTED ALL OPTIONS BEFORE ASKING FOR THIS HIGH, WE THINK THESE ARE NECESSARY TO INCREASE IS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING. WE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY TO INCREASE RATES. WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MANAGE OUR OPERATING COSTS, REDUCING. >> ARE ARE OPERATING NUMBERS DOWN SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AS A COMPANY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. TESTIMONIES WILL CONTINUE GIVING COMMISSIONERS A LOT TO THINK WHY WE SHOULD BE PAYING. >> ANY MORE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY PAID. I BELIEVE IN MY HOME FOR 17 YEARS. >> THOSE TESTIMONIES WILL CONTINUE. LENA. THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED IN SNOW HILL ON MARCH. 20TH, WE ARE TOLD WE'RE ALSO LEARNING AND THAT THERE WERE ALSO BE A VIRTUAL OPTION. SO EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO WEIGH IN CAN WEIGH IN