Floridians can expect higher electricity bills following last week’s cold snap, according to Duke Energy Florida. The company noted that colder temperatures led to increased use of heating systems, which resulted in greater energy consumption.
Despite the expected rise in usage-related costs, Duke Energy Florida stated that rates are decreasing. Residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity will see a $33 reduction on their February bills compared to January, with an additional $11 decrease anticipated in March.
Duke Energy also warned customers about the potential for increased scam activity during this period. In February 2025, after a similar cold snap, nearly 800 scam reports were made to the company. Officials expect a comparable number of incidents this month and urge customers to be cautious and learn how to identify common scams.
The company is offering several forms of assistance for those struggling with payments. Customers can request installment plans or due date extensions and access payment assistance programs such as the Share the Light Fund. Additional resources include free home energy assessments and rebates for efficiency improvements.
Duke Energy Florida encourages anyone who suspects fraudulent activity to report it to law enforcement, Duke Energy, and the Better Business Bureau.
“Duke Energy has a dedicated team ready to provide our customers with the individualized support they need,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “It’s my hope they will come directly to us so we can help them get back on track as quickly as possible and avoid opportunistic, increasingly sophisticated scams.”
Duke Energy Florida serves approximately 2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile area in Florida and owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity. Its parent company, Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is among the largest energy holding companies in the United States. The company provides electric service to 8.4 million customers across six states and natural gas service to 1.7 million customers in five states.
Duke Energy continues its transition toward cleaner energy sources while investing in grid upgrades and new technologies aimed at improving reliability for its customers.
More information about Duke Energy’s services and initiatives can be found at duke-energy.com and through its various social media channels.
