Duke Energy Florida has announced a significant reduction in electricity bills for 2026. Residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month are expected to see their bills decrease by about $44 starting in March.
Melissa Seixas, president of Duke Energy in Florida, said, “Duke Energy Florida understands that our customers face economic difficulties, which often force them to make tough decisions about which bills they can afford to pay. That’s why keeping costs low remains a priority for us, and we will continue connecting them with assistance programs and tools to help them save.”
The adjustment includes annual costs related to fuel, capacity, energy conservation, the storm protection plan, and environmental compliance. The company stated it does not profit from higher fuel costs and works to shield customers from price fluctuations under a three-year agreement reached with customer advocacy groups in 2024.
Rates for 2026 reflect investments aimed at improving grid reliability and expanding solar power. These changes are intended to reduce outages, speed up storm recovery efforts, and lower fuel costs. Approval from the Florida Public Service Commission is expected later this year.
From January through February 2026, typical residential customers consuming 1,000 kWh per month will see an increase of about $7.54 compared to December 2025. However, overall bills are set to drop starting in March 2026. Commercial and industrial customers can expect an increase between 4.3% and 8.2% during the same period compared to December 2025; specific impacts may vary.
In March 2026, residential bills for those using 1,000 kWh per month will decrease by around $44.16 compared to February. Commercial and industrial customers should see reductions between 9.6% and 15.8% relative to February levels.
The main reason for this reduction is the removal of the storm cost recovery charge linked to Duke Energy Florida’s response efforts after hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.
Electric rates may still fluctuate throughout the year based on fuel prices and storm-related expenses.
Duke Energy Florida continues its support for customers through flexible payment plans and several assistance programs:
– Free Home Energy Checks offer evaluations—either in person or remotely—of home energy efficiency along with recommendations.
– Rebates are available for certain home efficiency upgrades if preceded by a Home Energy Check.
– The weatherization program provides free energy efficiency improvements for households below twice the federal poverty guideline.
– The EnergyWise Home program offers annual bill credits for automatically reducing usage during peak demand periods.
– Time-of-use rates reward shifting energy use away from daily peak hours.
– Budget billing provides predictable monthly payments regardless of seasonal changes or usage spikes.
– The Share the Light Fund helps eligible households cover electric bills or related charges via participating agencies.
More information on these programs can be found at duke-energy.com/HereToHelp and duke-energy.com/SeasonalSavings.
Duke Energy Florida serves two million residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a service area covering 13,000 square miles in Florida with a generating capacity of 12,300 megawatts.
Parent company Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), based in Charlotte, North Carolina, supplies electricity to about 8.4 million customers across six states with a total generation capacity of nearly 54,800 megawatts. Its natural gas operations serve approximately 1.7 million customers across five states.
The company says it is pursuing a major transition toward cleaner energy while prioritizing reliability for its customers by investing in grid modernization projects as well as new generation sources such as natural gas plants, nuclear power, renewables like solar power,and battery storage.
For more information visit duke-energy.com or Duke Energy News Center; follow Duke Energy on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook; or read stories about employees’ work at illumination.
“Duke Energy Florida understands that our customers face economic difficulties, which often force them to make tough decisions about which bills they can afford to pay,” said Melissa Seixas president of Duke Energy in Florida. “That’s why keeping costs low remains a priority for us,and we will continue connecting them with assistance programs and tools that help them save.”
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