Duke Energy Offers Tips for Taking Control of Your Energy Cost This Summer

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With temperatures soaring well into the upper 90s this summer, Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) encourages customers to take some simple steps to stay cool and save money.

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"When temperatures are consistently high like they've been this summer, we know customers will use more energy as their air conditioners operate longer and more frequently to keep their homes cool," said Gianna Manes, Duke Energy senior vice president and chief customer officer. "Taking control of your energy usage can be easy, so it's important that customers understand how making a few simple changes can make a difference in their monthly energy costs," Manes said.

Simple, Low- to No-Cost Energy-Saving Tips to Beat the Summer Heat

Duke Energy offers five low- to no-cost tips that can help customers beat the summer heat at home while saving money:

• Keep your doors closed – According to Energy Star®, minimizing door traffic and sealing leaks around windows and doors with caulking or weather stripping can help save up to 10 percent on annual energy bills.
• Close your curtains or blinds during the day – The U.S. Department of Energy found that this quick and easy step can help reduce heat gain inside your home by 45 percent, which means your home stays cooler so your air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard.
• Install a programmable thermostat – By programming your air conditioner to adjust your home's temperature up a few degrees when you're not home, can help save up to $180 on your annual energy costs.
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs – Replacing the bulbs in your six most-used lamps / fixtures with CFLs can save up to $30 over the lifetime of each bulb. Duke Energy has distributed more than 14 million bulbs to its customers over the past year, which is enough energy saved to power more than 60,000 homes and offset the carbon output of 95,000 passenger cars. Duke Energy customers in Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina can get 15 bulbs free by visiting www.duke-energy.com/freecfls or calling 800-943-7585; option 1 for more information.
• Use your microwave instead of the oven – Not only will it cut down on excessive heat in the kitchen, a microwave uses 70 percent less energy than a regular electric oven.

Check out these tips and more at www.duke-energy.com/Youtility(SM)

More About www.duke-energy.com/Youtility(SM)

Duke Energy's Youtility(SM) website was designed with the customer in mind. The tips shared are simple and require little or no cost to implement. The site uses videos to demonstrate most tips, helping consumers see just how easy saving money can be.

"Our customers are telling us they want to know more about how to save money on their energy bills, and we're listening," Manes said. "We've narrowed down our tips to five key things customers can do this summer to start saving money. And we're sharing those tips in a simple and engaging way, using videos that depict scenarios that most people can identify with."

Visit Youtility today to:

• Take control of how you use energy.
• Get the entire family on board with simple ways to cut costs and stay cool.
• Learn more about your home's energy use with your Personalized Energy Report (PER)®.

Consumers can also "like" Youtility on Facebook and follow DE_Youtility on Twitter.

Understanding Your Energy Bill

For answers to billing questions, customers can sign up for Duke Energy's Online Services at www.duke-energy.com. Once registered, customers have instant access to a variety of useful tools and information, including a 13-month billing history and comparative weather data from the previous year. These records can help illustrate how extreme temperature fluctuations affect energy usage.

Online Services customers can also take advantage of programs, such as Budget Bill (Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky) and Equal Payment Plan (Carolinas). The programs are free and can help customers manage monthly energy costs by offering predictable monthly payments.

Special Assistance Programs

Duke Energy offers a number of programs to help customers who need a helping hand with their power bills. To find out what's available, customers should visit the residential page on www.duke-energy.com. Once there, select the state where they have service and then click on "special assistance" on the left-hand side.

"Extreme weather can affect more than our customers' pocketbooks. The summer heat can also pose serious health concerns, especially for senior citizens or others with special needs. We encourage everyone to check on loved ones and neighbors who may be susceptible to extreme temperatures." Manes said.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.

SOURCE Duke Energy