Duke Energy Florida shares various resources to help customers manage increased energy usage in January

Rhea-AI Summary

Duke Energy Florida is addressing increased energy usage from January's extreme winter weather by offering various customer support resources. Despite lowering rates by nearly $10 in January, customers may face higher bills due to increased heating demands. The company is providing multiple assistance programs including: Home Energy Checks, Home Improvement Rebate Programs, Income-Qualified Weatherization Program, and the EnergyWise® Home Program.

Weather data shows significant temperature drops across Florida regions: Tallahassee experienced 8.5°F colder temperatures than December, leading to 79% more heating energy usage; Orlando was 7.5°F colder, resulting in 145% higher heating energy use; and St. Petersburg was 6.8°F colder, causing a 187% increase in heating energy consumption compared to December.

Positive

• Rate reduction of nearly $10 implemented in January 2024
• Comprehensive financial assistance programs and rebates offered to customers
• Large customer base of 2 million across Florida
• Significant energy capacity of 12,300 megawatts in Florida

Negative

• Substantial increase in customer energy usage (up to 187% in some areas)
• Higher-than-average electric bills affecting customer base
• Increased operational costs due to extreme weather conditions

• Financial assistance programs, incentives and rates – and even low-cost or no-cost energy efficiency tips – can offset higher-than-average electric bills

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Florida is sharing various resources to help customers manage their increased energy usage in January, when extreme winter weather swept across the state, which may have resulted in some receiving higher-than-average electric bills.

"While Duke Energy Florida lowered rates by nearly $10 in January, our customers are less likely to notice that change because freezing temperatures forced their heating systems to work overtime, driving up their energy usage and, in turn, their electric bills," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "We want to make sure they have the support they need to offset these costs and continue making sound, energy-efficient decisions in the year ahead."

Financial assistance programs, incentives and rates made available by the company include:

• Home Energy Checks – free in-person, online or phone evaluations of your home's energy efficiency, as well as recommendations for improvement.
• Home Improvement Rebate Programs – rebates for energy efficiency upgrades made around your home (only if you have completed a Home Energy Check first).
• Income-Qualified Weatherization Program – free installation of energy efficiency upgrades around your home (only if you have an income less than 200% of federal poverty guidelines).
• EnergyWise® Home Program – annual bill credits for automatically reducing your energy usage during periods of high demand.
• Time-of-Use Rate Program – lowered rates for shifting your energy usage away from the three to six hours a day when demand typically surges.  
• Budget Billing – predictable monthly energy bills regardless of changes in your energy usage or the weather.
• Share the Light Fund® – funds distributed by participating agencies to help pay electric bills, deposits and connection/reconnection charges.

The following low-cost or no-cost tips can help lower energy usage as well:

• Reduce your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting. The smaller the difference between the temperature inside your home and outside, the lower your energy usage and the greater the savings.
• Change your air filter and schedule regular maintenance for your heating systems. Maintaining your heating systems can help increase efficiency.
• Set your water heater to 120 degrees to manage water heating, which is typically the second biggest user of energy in your home.
• Caulk, seal and weatherstrip air leaks in windows, doors and vents to save 10% to 20% in heating and cooling costs.
• Replace standard bulbs with LEDs, which are more efficient than regular bulbs, while giving off the same amount of light.
  • Replacing just six of your most frequently used bulbs with LEDs can save up to $480 over the lifetime of the bulbs.

And for context, below are location-specific statistics relating to the weather and customers' energy usage (for heating only) in January:  

• In the Tallahassee area:
  • The average temperature in January was 8.5 degrees colder than December, 6 degrees colder than a year ago and 5 degrees colder than a typical January.
  • As a result, typical customers used about 79% more energy for heating purposes in January compared to December, 42% more than a year ago and 36% more than a typical January.
• In the Orlando area:
• The average temperature in January was 7.5 degrees colder than December, 5.6 degrees colder than a year ago and 4.4 degrees colder than a typical January.
• As a result, typical customers used about 145% more energy for heating purposes in January compared to December, 84% more than a year ago and 50% more than a typical January.
• In the St. Petersburg area:
• The average temperature in January was 6.8 degrees colder than December, 3.8 degrees colder than a year ago and 4.4 degrees colder than a typical January.
• As a result, typical customers used about 187% more energy for heating purposes in January compared to December, 71% more than a year ago and 71% more than a typical January.

If customers need help reading their electric bills, Duke Energy offers an interactive tool to explain each component, such as a graph and comparison chart that provide a clear, uncluttered snapshot of their energy usage.

More information can be found at duke-energy.com/HereToHelp and duke-energy.com/SeasonalSavings.

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.  

Duke Energy 
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.  

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.   

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.  

Contact: Aly Raschid
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
X: @DE_AlyRaschid

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SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

How much did Duke Energy Florida (DUK) increase heating energy usage in January 2024?

Heating energy usage increases varied by region: St. Petersburg saw a 187% increase, Orlando experienced a 145% increase, and Tallahassee had a 79% increase compared to December.

What customer assistance programs is Duke Energy (DUK) offering for high January bills?

Duke Energy is offering Home Energy Checks, Home Improvement Rebate Programs, Income-Qualified Weatherization Program, EnergyWise® Home Program, Time-of-Use Rate Program, Budget Billing, and the Share the Light Fund®.

How much did Duke Energy (DUK) lower rates in January 2024?

Duke Energy Florida lowered rates by nearly $10 in January 2024.

What was the temperature difference in Duke Energy's (DUK) Florida service areas in January 2024?

Temperatures were 8.5 degrees colder in Tallahassee, 7.5 degrees colder in Orlando, and 6.8 degrees colder in St. Petersburg compared to December.

How many customers does Duke Energy Florida (DUK) serve in 2024?

Duke Energy Florida serves 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.