ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There could be a little relief coming to your wallet — Duke Energy plans to reduce rates starting in January, meaning your bill should be a little lower.
In an emailed release Monday, Duke Energy says it is taking steps to reduce these rates in order to provide the "best possible price" to customers. The company also plans to pass along costs related to Hurricane Idalia while, at the same time, spreading out what it already receives from several storms, according to a filing with the Florida Public Service Commission.
Residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) should see a decrease of about $11.29 when they open their January 2024 bill compared to December's statement, the utility said.
Duke Energy says it filed projected Hurricane Idalia storm recovery costs with the Florida Public Service Commission and, at the same time, asked the commission to reduce the 2024 rate charged for previous storms. Those include hurricanes Eta, Isaias, Elsa, Ian and Nicole and Tropical Storm Fred.
“We will continue to explore ways to provide the best possible price for our customers while delivering the safe, reliable energy our customers rely on – no matter the circumstance,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president said in a statement.
According to the energy company, this storm rate reduction, coupled with earlier bill reduction asks — lower fuel and capacity costs — will save the "typical" residential customer the above $11.29 on their bill come January.
“While we hope this reduction will provide some relief to our customers, there will be many who continue to face financial hardship – whether from the destruction left by Idalia, the record-breaking heat or other external pressures,” Seixas said. “Regardless of the reasons, we encourage customers to reach out to us. We have numerous flexible billing and payment options, energy efficiency programs and assistance to help.”
For customers in the commercial and industrial realm, they are expected to see a decrease between 6.8 and 7.2 percent in their bills.
All of these bill reduction changes and when they start all hinge on the approval of the Florida Public Service Commission. If approved, the reduction will start in January.
You can find more information about seasonal bills and flexible billing and payment options here.