Information on rising fuel costs and Duke Energy electric bills--a message from Duke Energy Indiana President Stan Pinegar

​Hoosiers are paying more at the grocery and gas pump and may be noticing higher electric bills as well. We want to share background on what’s driving Duke Energy electricity costs and what we’re doing to help.
 
Since mid-2021, costs for coal and gas to produce the energy that powers Indiana homes, businesses and assembly lines have increased significantly. Fuel accounts for a significant portion of our electric costs, averaging as much as 30% of a total bill. That’s why when there are volatile energy markets, it can have a big impact.

In fact, Duke Energy Indiana is seeing the highest sustained prices for fuel that we have witnessed in a decade. Global demand and tight fuel supplies as well as labor shortages at coal mines and railroads are affecting the cost of the power we produce as well as what we purchase in the energy markets. We also have been working to overcome supply chain challenges to ensure we have sufficient supplies of fuel available for summer and winter—the times of highest electric demand. 
 
These are not permanent rate increases. Fuel costs rise and fall, and we pass those costs to our customers with no markup, so customers pay what we pay. Our priority is to purchase fuel at the best possible price, through steps such as long-term contracts and using a diversity of suppliers. To lessen the impact on customer bills, we are spreading recovery of some of these fuel costs over a longer period to reduce the rate impact.
 
Unfortunately, as we approach the summer, the bill impact will continue to increase, and we expect that to continue throughout the year. If you are struggling financially to pay your electric bill, contact us at 800.521.2232. We can discuss payment plans and resources for help.
 
We also recommend tools such as High Bill Alerts and Budget Billing that can help customers to manage their bills. Financial assistance also is available through our Share the Light program, where eligible customers can receive up to $300 in energy bill assistance. You can find more information on these programs at Lower My Bill ToolKit - Home - Duke Energy (duke-energy.com).
 
We have found that many of our customers are missing out on state and federal assistance programs for which they are eligible. To learn more, visit  Indiana Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program | Benefits.gov.
 
We know that higher electric bills can be a hardship for many, and we want to connect customers to resources for help.

Stan Pinegar
President

Last night, primary election candidates waited eagerly to see if they would receive their party's nomination for the general election come this fall. With a number of races being close calls, there was much anticipation as the votes were counted. After a final count, the following candidates have won their party's nomination. If you're still interested in learning more about the candidates, click on their title of office to read their bio. Congratulations to the following winners!

U.S. House of Representatives, District 9 

• Matt Fyfe (D)
• Erin Houchin (R)

Indiana State Legislature, District 62

• Penny Githens (D) 
• Dave Hall (R) 

Monroe County Council 

• Peter Iversen (D) 
• Perry Robinson (R) 

Monroe County Sheriff 

• Ruben Marté (D) 
• Nathan Williamson (R) 

Monroe County Circuit Court  

• Emily Salzmann (D) 
• Carl Lamb (R)

Monroe County Board of Commissioners  

• Lee Jones (D) 
• Perry Robinson (R) 

Please note that those candidates who ran unopposed in the primaries may still face competitors between now and the general election date, Tuesday, November 8th.