As air conditioners work overtime and summer power bills climb, some Indiana households may be able to get immediate relief. Duke Energy says some eligible customers may see as much as $250 applied to their bills through a seasonal assistance program, WDRB reports.
What's happening?
To help with the jump in electricity use that often comes with extreme summer heat, Duke Energy announced in a news release that its Summer Energy Assistance Credit Program will offer qualifying Indiana customers up to $250 in account credit.
"Our Summer Energy Assistance Credit Program is available to help Hoosiers with seasonal bills that can go up with increased energy use similar to what we experienced over the last couple of weeks," Duke Energy Indiana president Stan Pinegar said in the release.
The company has committed $350,000 to the Indiana effort. Duke said it provided nearly $530,000 in bill assistance to more than 2,500 households over last summer and winter.
Why does it matter?
Summer electricity bills can rise quickly when high temperatures push air conditioners, fans, and other cooling appliances into near-constant use. A credit worth up to $250 can help customers keep pace with those costs.
That support can be especially important for people on fixed incomes or families already facing higher costs for groceries, housing, and transportation. Energy assistance can help reduce the risk of missed payments, late fees, or the difficult choice between staying cool and covering other essentials.
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During periods of intense heat, cutting back on cooling to save money can become dangerous, particularly for older adults, young children, and people with medical conditions. Assistance that lowers the cost of using air conditioning can help households stay safer during the hottest weeks of the year.
What's being done?
Duke also highlighted other resources in the release, including free Home Energy House Calls, installment payment plans, energy-use alerts, and a bill-assistance finder. Those tools may help customers identify aid programs, avoid surprise bills, and find simple ways to reduce energy waste at home.
Duke's Smart Usage Option is intended to shift chores such as laundry or dishwashing to lower-demand times. While exact savings will vary by household, moving energy-intensive tasks away from peak periods can help some customers better manage their monthly bills.
"We work hand in hand with local community action agencies to connect our customers with this financial support," Pinegar concluded in the release. "We encourage any customer struggling to pay their electric bill to take advantage of these tools and immediately contact our customer service team."
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