A higher rate for Duke Energy electricity went into effect Sunday. The cost is now $0.1045 per per kilowatt hour, up nearly 2 and a half cents per kWh, effective June 1.
While no one is happy to hear about rising rates, there are steps you can take to keep your bill under control.
"I would just encourage consumers to watch their bills, to conserve electricity, [and] to be careful with their energy choices," said J.P. Blackwood, public affairs liaison for the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, a state agency that advocates for rate payers.
Should you switch providers?
Ohioans have the option to shop for a different electricity provider. Blackwood says that could save you money in some cases, but most of the time it ends up being more expensive than staying with the standard service provider.
"Getting your electricity from a marketer is risky, especially if you get it and then stop paying attention," he said. "You have to be very organized, you have to compare a lot of rates, you have to be very careful."
Blackwood says the marketers that frequently go door-to-door have been known to lie about savings and even force customers to switch without their consent. He says Ohioans should never show a salesman a copy of their electric bill, and shouldn't make a decision to switch electric providers based soley on someone visiting their home. You can visit energychoice.ohio.gov/ to compare options.
Other steps to save money
When it comes to saving money on your electric bill, Blackwood says your best bet is to use less electricity.
"The cheapest kilowatt hour is the kilowatt hour you don't use," he said. "So if you are maybe putting your thermostat to 74, 75, [or] 76 instead of 72 in the summer, that's going to save you real money. It's also going to help your neighbors, because you're reducing demand on the whole system."
You also can switch from incandescent bulbs to LED bulbs, remember to turn off lights when you leave a room, and weatherize your living space.
Duke Energy offers some utility bill assistance programs. Utility assistance may also be available through other programs; check the Ohio Consumers' Counsel website.
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