Professional advice to keep energy bills low during extreme heat

Florida’s extreme heat is pushing air conditioners to work harder, leading to higher energy bills for residents across the state.

The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for much of Florida in recent days, with heat indices in parts of southwest and west-central Florida reaching 109 degrees. July 2026 was even the hottest month on record.

“We’re seeing 10% to 15% above-average temperatures, but in Central Florida, we saw that ACs are working about 16% harder to keep the homes cool this summer,” said Aly Raschid with Duke Energy Florida.

Line workers are out in the heat every day to ensure customers have reliable power.

“They’re also out there making improvements to the grid to make sure that it’s more resilient and prepared for storms. We are in the middle of hurricane season. We live in Florida, we know it’s a matter of when, not if, the storm is coming,” Raschid said.

To help customers manage energy costs, Duke Energy recommends the following tips:

• Adjust the thermostat to the highest comfortable setting.
• Keep air filters clean.
• Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to push cool air down.

Duke Energy also offers free home energy checks to help customers identify energy-efficient improvements.

“Our advisor will go into your home and look for opportunities for energy-efficiency improvements, and then from there, once you’ve done the free home energy check, you will be eligible for up to $3,800 in rebates on home improvement projects,” Raschid said.

Another tool Duke Energy offers is “Usage Alert” emails, which show how much energy has been used so far and provide projected usage, allowing adjustments to be made before the bill arrives.

Duke Energy encourages customers to reach out immediately if they are struggling with their power bills.