WESH 2 Investigates: Duke Energy customer faces large jump in electric bill - WESH 2 Orlando

High power company bills concerning Duke Energy customers

An Orange County woman says she's outraged by her latest electric bill. It’s one that's ten times higher than it was just a year ago.She called WESH 2 Investigates as we get to the bottom of her "budget billing" problem.“So you want to be on a budget so you can always predict what a payment is going to be like,” said Dawn Robinson, Duke Energy customer. Robinson and her daughter Roxan Archer love their West Orange County home but not their Duke Energy bills. The latest one has them owing more than $1,123.01 next month.“Being on a fixed income, I wasn't planning on seeing a bill that large for AC,” Robinson said. “It shocked me.”We reviewed the past year and a half of Robinson's electric bills, which went from just over $100 a month to $382 in July and August, and now the big bill for three times that last amount.They're on "budget billing,” a Duke Energy payment plan, in which you are charged roughly the same amount year-round to avoid big bills in summer.Robinson’s daughter, who pays the bills, says she really didn't understand how it worked.“Considering what I knew and what I thought I knew about budget billing, which was that averaging through a typical time period,” Archer said. “I didn't know how that was going to work out, but at least I thought it would be manageable.”It can be, but "quarterly account reviews and possible adjustments keep payments in line with your actual usage. Adjustments are based on your average usage over the previous 12 months."And something happened about a year ago that changed everything. Robinson has lived in this house since the mid-1990s, and when her air conditioning went out in 2021, she lived in this home for a year with no AC.Then she heard about an Orange County program that helps seniors on fixed incomes, and the county last November replaced her air conditioning system for free. That's when she really started paying attention to her power usage.As soon as Duke realized Robinson and her new AC system were drawing more electricity every couple of months the bill went up.“No, I did not (understand that part.) I think it's outrageous,” she said. She's fine with paying what she owes but hopes Duke will let her "budget" small monthly payments. Duke is reviewing her case. Duke Energy points out it has several payment plans to try and suit most people's budgets. They urge you to read about them online and talk to customer service to learn more. If you have a complaint about any of your utility bills in Florida, you can file a complaint with the Public Service Commission.Top headlines: Listen to news and weather headlines with the WESH 2 podcast'Like a crunch': Surfer bitten in the face by shark at New Smyrna Beach speaks outPolice: Carjacker shot, killed innocent man outside Palm Bay 7-Eleven

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

An Orange County woman says she's outraged by her latest electric bill. It’s one that's ten times higher than it was just a year ago.

She called WESH 2 Investigates as we get to the bottom of her "budget billing" problem.

“So you want to be on a budget so you can always predict what a payment is going to be like,” said Dawn Robinson, Duke Energy customer.

Robinson and her daughter Roxan Archer love their West Orange County home but not their Duke Energy bills. The latest one has them owing more than $1,123.01 next month.

“Being on a fixed income, I wasn't planning on seeing a bill that large for AC,” Robinson said. “It shocked me.”

We reviewed the past year and a half of Robinson's electric bills, which went from just over $100 a month to $382 in July and August, and now the big bill for three times that last amount.

They're on "budget billing,” a Duke Energy payment plan, in which you are charged roughly the same amount year-round to avoid big bills in summer.

Robinson’s daughter, who pays the bills, says she really didn't understand how it worked.

“Considering what I knew and what I thought I knew about budget billing, which was that averaging through a typical time period,” Archer said. “I didn't know how that was going to work out, but at least I thought it would be manageable.”

It can be, but "quarterly account reviews and possible adjustments keep payments in line with your actual usage. Adjustments are based on your average usage over the previous 12 months."

And something happened about a year ago that changed everything. Robinson has lived in this house since the mid-1990s, and when her air conditioning went out in 2021, she lived in this home for a year with no AC.

Then she heard about an Orange County program that helps seniors on fixed incomes, and the county last November replaced her air conditioning system for free. That's when she really started paying attention to her power usage.

As soon as Duke realized Robinson and her new AC system were drawing more electricity every couple of months the bill went up.

“No, I did not (understand that part.) I think it's outrageous,” she said.

She's fine with paying what she owes but hopes Duke will let her "budget" small monthly payments. Duke is reviewing her case.

Duke Energy points out it has several payment plans to try and suit most people's budgets.

They urge you to read about them online and talk to customer service to learn more.

If you have a complaint about any of your utility bills in Florida, you can file a complaint with the Public Service Commission.

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