Duke Energy - Helping South Carolina customers stay cool and manage energy costs during the holiday heat

Good afternoon,

I wanted to pass along information that may be helpful to the people you serve as hot weather moves across South Carolina this Labor Day weekend. The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s, with conditions expected to feel as hot as 100 to 105 degrees in some areas.

When temperatures rise like this, air conditioners often run longer and use more energy – even when customers keep their thermostat at the same setting. That can lead to higher energy use and, for some families, added stress when the bill arrives.

Duke Energy has several tools, programs and support options available to help customers better understand their usage, improve energy efficiency and find assistance if they need it. A few resources that may be worth sharing with your community members include:

• Bill Insights in the Duke Energy app, which helps explain what may be driving a customer’s bill, including weather impacts.
• Usage Alerts, which provide mid-cycle updates on energy use, current costs, and projected billing cycle costs.
• My Home Energy Report, which gives customers personalized information about their home’s energy use.
• Free home energy assessments, which include personalized recommendations and free energy efficiency products.
• EnergyWise® Home, which can help eligible customers earn bill credits by enrolling qualifying devices.
• Flexible billing and assistance options, including Annual Budget Billing, Pick Your Due Date, and the Payment Assistance Finder.

There are also simple steps customers can take this weekend to help their homes stay comfortable, such as setting the thermostat to the highest comfortable setting, closing blinds and curtains on sunny windows, using ceiling fans counterclockwise and firing up the grill for tailgating treats outdoors when possible to avoid adding extra heat inside.

If it would be helpful, please feel free to share this information through your own channels – newsletters, social media, neighborhood updates or other community communications. Our goal is simply to make sure customers know help is available and that they have practical ways to manage energy use during stretches of extreme heat.

Customers can learn more about energy-saving programs, billing options, and assistance resources at duke-energy.com/SummerSolutions.

Thank you for all you do to keep your community informed and connected.

Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend,