RALEIGH – Duke Energy's plan to save its customers energy and money is facing some heated opposition this week as the company makes its case for government approval.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission began hearings Monday on the program, called Save-A-Watt. The company said Save-A-Watt is designed to meet energy demand, is environmentally sound and is cost effective.

"We would work with vendors and other partners to offer home energy audits to customers, to give you coupons to go buy [compact fluorescent] light bulbs in an inexpensive way," Duke Energy Spokesperson Paige Sheehan said. "All kinds of really neat incentives to help you save power."

The company hopes the $200 million program will lead to a decreased need for power plants. All Duke Energy customers would have to pay a monthly $1 fee for the Save-A-Watt program, even if they don't enroll in it.

Those who enroll and follow the energy saving tips could save $5 a month on their energy bills.

But conservation groups, Wal-Mart and even the City of Durham oppose the program, saying it costs too much and produces little results.

And the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group agrees.

"As far as producing energy efficiency, Save-A-Watt doesn't produce very much," Shana Becker, of NCPIRG, said. "Leading programs have an accumulative production of over 11 percent energy efficiency. Save A Watt aims for 1 percent."

She said it's a bad decision to go to Duke for energy-saving tips.

"It makes no sense to ask a business who is in the business of selling energy to not sell energy and then make us pay for them not selling energy," Becker said.

Officials from Duke Energy said that if the program doesn't succeed, the company will reimburse customers.

The hearings are set to continue the rest of the week.

The company serves customers mainly in the Piedmont, just west of Raleigh.