ORLANDO, Fla. – Duke Energy customers could see higher electric bills next year if state regulators approve the utility company’s plan.
Duke Energy says it wants to recover $1.1 billion in costs related to hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
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As a result, residential customers could see an increase of $21 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours to their monthly electric bills starting in March. The charges would remain on customer bills through February 2026.
Costs included bringing in thousands of workers to restore power for more than 2 million customers over the course of the three hurricanes.
Duke Energy said it had to bring in 3,000 workers for Debby, 8,600 workers for Helene and 16,000 workers for Milton, with some coming from as far away as Canada.
The company also said it had to replace 2,805 damaged power poles.
Duke Energy filed its plan Friday with the Florida Public Service Commission, a government body that regulates rates for public utilities like water and electricity.
The board’s five commissioners are appointed by the state’s governor, and they will decide whether to approve Duke Energy’s plan.
A hearing for the request has not been scheduled yet. Those hearings are open to the public. You can learn more on the Florida Public Service Commission website.
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