Duke Energy offers more than $4.6 million in energy bill assistance to help North Carolina families facing financial hardship

• Over the last year, Duke Energy has supported more than 11,000 North Carolina households with more than $4.6 million in energy bill assistance

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To help lower energy costs for low-income families this summer, Duke Energy is making more than $4.6 million in financial aid available to eligible customers through the company's Share the Light Fund^®.

"As temperatures climb throughout the summer, these funds will help reduce energy expenses for those who need it most," said Kendal Bowman, president of Duke Energy North Carolina. We're proud of the support Share the Light Fund has provided to our community over the past 40 years."

Duke Energy works with over 100 agencies across North Carolina to distribute funds to qualifying customers to help pay energy bills, deposits and reconnection/connection charges. Individuals should contact their local agencies to see if they are eligible. Click here to find a listing of service providers by county.

Over the last five years, Duke Energy shareholders, employees, customers and the Duke Energy Foundation have provided more than $19.7 million in bill assistance through Share the Light Fund, which has helped support more than 66,000 North Carolina households.

Operation Fan Heat Relief
As part of Share the Light Fund, Duke Energy provides $80,000 each year for North Carolina's Operation Fan Heat Relief. The program provides free fans to qualifying vulnerable older adults and adults with disabilities who are at risk for heat-related illnesses. The North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services distributes the funds to Agencies on Aging and local providers that distribute fans May 1-Oct. 31.

Savings programs and assistance
Duke Energy has more than a dozen energy assistance and bill-lowering tools, including:

• Usage Alerts that send customers a notification of how much electricity they are using and its cost so they can make adjustments before their billing period ends.
• Free Home Energy House Calls, where energy professionals assess a home for efficiency and provide homeowners with a toolkit of energy-saving devices.
• Budget Billing, which helps ease the impact of higher seasonal bills by leveling out monthly payments.
• Installment payment plans for customers needing flexibility.

To learn more about these programs, visit duke-energy.com/HereToHelp.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

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SOURCE Duke Energy