Duke Energy seeks to increase prices to cover expenses from hurricanes in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – Duke Energy customers could see higher electric bills next year if state regulators approve the utility company’s plan.

Duke Energy says it wants to recover $1.1 billion in costs related to hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.

Residential customers may notice an increase of $21 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours in their monthly electric bills starting in March. These additional charges will continue to appear on customer bills until February 2026.

Costs included bringing in thousands of workers to restore power for more than 2 million customers over the course of the three hurricanes.

To address the situation, Duke Energy had to bring in large numbers of workers. Specifically, they mobilized 3,000 workers for Debby, 8,600 workers for Helene, and 16,000 workers for Milton. Some of these workers traveled from as far as Canada to assist.

The company also said it had to replace 2,805 damaged power poles.

Last Friday, Duke Energy submitted its plan to the Florida Public Service Commission. This commission is a regulatory body overseeing rates for public utilities, including water and electricity, in the state.

The board’s five commissioners are appointed by the state’s governor, and they will decide whether to approve Duke Energy’s plan.

A hearing for the request has not been scheduled yet. Those hearings are open to the public. You can learn more on the Florida Public Service Commission website.