Did your Duke Energy bill shock you? Why your electric bill is so high and what you can do

Erin Mansfield, Cincinnati Enquirer
Updated ·3 min read
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Did your electric bill from January knock the wind out of you? You’re not alone. People across Greater Cincinnati are lighting up social media with their concerns over their bills.

The Enquirer spoke to Duke Energy, which provides electricity in the area, and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, which regulates how much electric companies can charge to deliver electricity in the state.

Here are two reasons your electric bill went up in January, and two things you can do to deal with the sticker shock in the future.

Why did my Duke electric bill go up?

  • You used a lot of electricity to run the heat.

Heating is the No. 1 use of electricity in the house and accounts for roughly half of your bill, according to Jeff Brooks, a spokesperson for Duke Energy. “If a day is particularly cold, you're going to use more electricity to heat.”

In Cincinnati, there was an increase in an index called heating-degree days from 807 in January 2023 to 1,047 in 2024, which meant people needed more electricity to keep their homes warm.

More: Tips for saving money on your heating bill

“You had a really mild January last year,” Brooks said. “So that difference in the bill looks even more pronounced when you look at those two numbers on your bill because you had a milder year last year compared to this year. So bills are going to seem higher if you compare year over year."

  • It cost Duke Energy more to buy electricity.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio only regulates how much companies like Duke Energy can charge customers to deliver their electricity, not how much they charge for the electrons themselves. That means that consumers will pay based on what Duke pays, unless they can lock in a contract with another energy supplier.

Duke Energy gets much of its energy from natural gas, coal, and nuclear, Brooks said. In June, the company updated how much they pay for energy from external sources. The rates went up and this increase in cost was passed to the customer through charges such as the retail energy rider, also known as Rider RE, a fee the state allows electric companies to charge to recover what they pay.

Customers who pay for Duke Energy to source their electricity, not just deliver it, felt this change over the past few months. Brooks says that the generation costs increased the typical bill by about 30%. Brooks said that these rates get renegotiated each year, and that they can go down next year.

How can I afford my electric bill?

  • Buy your electricity elsewhere.

Ohio lets you choose your own company to supply your electricity. Duke Energy would still deliver that electricity to your home, but the price you pay for the electricity itself would be determined by your contract with the other company, instead of what Duke Energy pays. You could end up paying a higher or lower rate for the electricity, but you would no longer see so many riders on your bill, including the retail energy rider, also known as Rider RE. Compare supplier prices, fees and contract terms at energychoice.ohio.gov.

  • Sign up for an extended payment plan.

All residential customers, regardless of their income, are eligible for extended payment plans, according to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. These allow you to make payments on a balance over a three- to nine-month period. You can sign up for one through Duke Energy.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why was your Duke Energy bill so high in January?