Sunprint
The short answer
Summer air conditioning is the usual starting point, but three things specific to Duke Energy Florida decide how hard it hits. Every kWh above 1,000 in a month costs about 14 percent more than the first 1,000. From December through February, Duke's base rate is higher than the rest of the year. And the fuel charge, which follows natural gas and coal prices, makes up about a quarter of a typical bill.
For 2026, the charge for 2024's hurricanes is gone. By the Public Service Commission's own comparison, a 1,000 kWh Duke bill for September to December 2026 is $150.50, down from $181.94 a year earlier. If your bill is still high, it is most likely usage, the time of year, or both.
The 1,000 kWh step
Duke's standard residential rate (RS-1) charges one price for the first 1,000 kWh you use in a month and a higher price for every kWh after that. Both the energy charge and the fuel charge step up. With the rates Duke put on bills from June 2026, before taxes and fees:
The average Florida home uses about 1,170 kWh a month over a year, according to federal survey data, so many Duke customers cross the line every summer. Here is what the step does to a bill, with Duke's $14.35 monthly customer charge included:
| Used in the month | Before taxes and fees | Average per kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 kWh | $143.09 | 14.3 cents |
| 1,500 kWh | $216.65 | 14.4 cents |
| 2,000 kWh | $290.20 | 14.5 cents |
| 2,500 kWh | $363.76 | 14.6 cents |
Duke's own sample bill for 1,500 kWh in June 2026 shows how the rest is added. Its $216.65 of charges, less an EnergyWise Home credit, plus the gross receipts tax, a 6 percent city franchise fee and a 10 percent city utility tax, came to $240.87. Fees and taxes depend on where you live, so check your own bill for those lines.
Where a Duke bill goes
Duke filed this breakdown of a typical 1,000 kWh residential bill for June 2026 with the Florida Public Service Commission. It totals $146.89.
The base rate covers the costs of producing and delivering power other than fuel: plants, lines and operations. Fuel is the part that follows natural gas and coal prices, which Duke names as its two largest fuel sources; Duke passes fuel costs through without profit and resets the charge each year. The storm protection plan charge pays for hardening lines, moving some underground and trimming trees, under a Florida law that lets investor-owned utilities recover that work separately. The asset securitization charge repays bonds for Duke's retired nuclear plant, which Duke says costs less than recovering it the traditional way.
Duke's 2026 rate calendar: why this month differs
A Duke bill can change from one month to the next with no change in how much you use, because several adjustments switch on and off during the year. Here is how they fell in 2026 for a typical 1,000 kWh bill:
Duke Energy Florida residential bills in 2026. Sources: Duke Energy Florida announcements and the Florida PSC's September 2026 bill comparison.
- January: the hurricane storm charge was still on bills, along with the winter base rate. Duke said January and February bills would be $7.54 higher than December 2025 for 1,000 kWh.
- February: the storm charge came off a month early, about $33 less on a 1,000 kWh bill.
- March to November: Duke's lower seasonal base rate, about $11 less. Duke applies it every year from March through November, when usage is typically higher.
- June to September: a refund of storm money Duke over-collected, returned through lower fuel charges, about $6 less.
- December: the winter base rate returns. The PSC's figures put the base part of a 1,000 kWh bill at $101.89 for December 2026 through February 2027, against $91.21 from June through November 2026.
Is Duke raising rates?
Two things are true at once. Duke's base rates are going up slowly, and total bills went down in 2026.
Base rates: in August 2024 the Florida Public Service Commission approved a settlement that raised Duke's base rates by $203 million in 2025 and $59 million in 2026, plus the cost of new solar plants as they come online. Duke had asked for more, including $503 million for 2025, according to the News Service of Florida. One of those solar plants, Jumper Creek in Sumter County, added about 49 cents per 1,000 kWh from June 2026, by Duke's figures. For 2027, Duke says a 2 percent base rate increase set in 2024 will be avoided through a tax strategy worth about $50 million.
Total bills: the hurricane storm charge ended and fuel costs fell, so bills dropped. The Commission's own comparisons of a 1,000 kWh Duke residential bill show the swing:
A 1,000 kWh Duke Energy Florida bill, by the PSC's comparisons
Source: Florida Public Service Commission, total cost of 1,000 kWh of residential service at investor-owned utilities. The PSC averages Duke's seasonal base rate across the year, so a single month's bill differs slightly. The 2025 figure includes a $32.40 storm charge.
What's next: on September 3, 2026, Duke asked the Commission to lower a typical 1,000 kWh bill by $0.71 from December 2026 to January 2027. That still needs approval. Remember the calendar, though: December bills carry the winter base rate, so a December bill will be higher than a November bill for the same usage even without any rate increase.
The storm charge and the refund
Duke says it spent about $1.1 billion responding to hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton in 2024. Once regulators approve them, Florida's investor-owned utilities recover storm restoration costs from customers, and Duke's storm charge started with March 2025 bills at about $31 per 1,000 kWh. It showed up as only about $21 that month because Duke's seasonal discount started at the same time.
The charge was scheduled to run through February 2026, but Duke recovered the full amount early and took it off starting with February bills. Once the costs were counted, Duke had collected about $1 billion against about $915 million actually spent. The Commission approved returning the difference by lowering fuel charges from June through September 2026, about $6 off a 1,000 kWh bill.
What lowers a Duke bill
A free Home Energy Check
Duke offers a free energy evaluation of your home in person, online or by phone, with recommendations. Its efficiency rebates require one first.
EnergyWise Home credits
Let Duke automatically trim what enrolled appliances use when demand is high, in return for bill credits of up to $141 a year, depending on usage and what you enroll.
The time-of-use rate
Duke's RST-1 rate charges 12.585 cents on-peak but 6.479 cents super-off-peak for energy, before fuel. It helps if you can move usage out of the three to six hours a day when Duke says demand typically surges.
Budget Billing
Evens out your payments across the year. It makes bills predictable but doesn't lower what you pay over twelve months.
The biggest lever is still your own usage, and in a Duke bill the kWh above 1,000 are the most expensive ones to use. Our guide to why Florida electric bills run high covers the causes that apply at every utility, from heat strips to estimated readings, and the state rules on meter tests.
When solar fits a high Duke bill
If your Duke bill is high month after month because your home uses a lot of power, solar is worth pricing. The kWh it offsets first are your most expensive ones, the ones above 1,000 at about 14.7 cents, and Duke credits power you send to the grid through net metering. Duke's $14.35 customer charge stays, so the bill won't reach zero. Our Duke Energy Florida solar guide covers net metering, system sizes and what a given bill needs. The calculator below starts with Duke already selected.
Your estimate in three steps
- Enter your billYour ZIP code, your utility and last month's bill.
- See your estimateA yearly savings range based on your utility's rates and Florida sun.
- Choose what's nextAsk for a quote call if you want real pricing, or just keep the number.
See what solar could save you
It takes about a minute. You don't need a site visit, a commitment or a sales call to see your number.
Common questions
Why is my Duke Energy bill so high this month?
Most often it's usage: a hot month pushes more of your kWh past 1,000, where Duke Energy Florida charges about 14 percent more per kWh. The calendar matters too. From December through February, Duke's base rate is higher, adding about $11 to a 1,000 kWh bill, and a temporary refund lowers fuel charges only from June through September 2026. Compare this bill's kWh and days with the same month last year to see which it was.
Is Duke Energy raising rates in Florida?
Base rates are rising slowly under a 2024 settlement approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, which added $203 million in 2025 and $59 million in 2026, plus new solar plants as they come online. Total bills still fell in 2026, mainly because the hurricane storm charge ended. For January 2027, Duke has asked to lower a typical 1,000 kWh bill by $0.71 compared with December 2026, which still needs approval.
What is Duke Energy Florida's rate per kWh?
With June 2026 rates, the standard residential rate works out to about 12.9 cents per kWh for the first 1,000 kWh in a month and about 14.7 cents for each kWh above that, counting the energy, fuel and asset securitization charges. On top of that is a $14.35 monthly customer charge, then taxes and any local fees.
Why is my Duke Energy bill higher in winter?
Duke's base rates are seasonal. The Public Service Commission's figures put the base part of a 1,000 kWh bill at $101.89 from December 2026 through February 2027, compared with $91.21 from June through November 2026. Cold snaps add usage too, because backup heat strips use far more power than a heat pump.
Why did my Duke Energy bill go up in January 2026?
Duke said typical January and February 2026 bills would be $7.54 higher than December 2025 for 1,000 kWh, while the hurricane storm charge was still on bills. The charge came off a month early, starting with February bills, which took about $33 off a 1,000 kWh bill.
Is Duke Energy Florida giving customers a refund?
It did, through lower fuel charges rather than a check. Duke collected about $1 billion through its storm charge against about $915 million of actual costs for hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. The difference goes back to customers through lower fuel rates from June through September 2026, about $6 on a 1,000 kWh bill.
What is the storm protection charge on my Duke bill?
It pays for Duke's storm protection plan: hardening power lines, moving some underground and trimming trees, work Florida law lets investor-owned utilities recover through a separate charge. In June 2026 it came to $9.36 on a 1,000 kWh bill. It is different from the storm restoration charge that paid for repairs after the 2024 hurricanes, which ended in early 2026.
Does this apply to Duke Energy in North Carolina or South Carolina?
No. This page covers Duke Energy Florida only. Duke's utilities in the Carolinas have their own rates and charges, set through those states' regulators, so the figures here don't apply there.
Can solar lower my Duke Energy bill?
Usually, if the bill is high because of how much you use. Solar offsets your priciest kWh first, the ones above 1,000 a month, and Duke credits power you send to the grid through net metering. The $14.35 customer charge stays. Our Duke Energy Florida solar guide covers sizing and savings.
Related guides
- Solar for Duke Energy Florida customers: rates, net metering and system size
- Why is my electric bill so high in Florida?
- How much solar for a $300 to $700 Florida electric bill?
- Florida net metering explained
- Solar and an EV in Florida
- Community solar in Florida
This page is general information about Duke Energy Florida's standard residential rate. Your own bill, rate and local fees may differ, and rates change during the year. Sources: Duke Energy Florida's June 2026 residential rates, sample bill and 1,000 kWh bill comparison, filed with the Florida PSC (PDF) · Florida PSC 1,000 kWh residential bill comparison, September 2026 (PDF) · September 2025 · September 2024 · January 2024 · 2022 · Duke Energy Florida on its third 2026 rate reduction · on the storm charge ending early · on January to March 2026 bills · on 2026 rates and its customer programs · on the 2025 storm charge · on 2027 rates · News Service of Florida via WUSF on the 2024 rate settlement · Florida Statutes 366.96, storm protection plan cost recovery · EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020 (PDF). Reviewed September 2026.
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