Duke Energy is rearranging the way they read their meters and it is affecting customers and this is causing billing cycles to be extended. Thus, customers are being forced to pay more.
The company is extending their billing cycles by 12 extra days and it’s affecting about 267,000 customers, per Ivan Penn at the Tampa Bay Times. Duke charges $11.34 for every 100 kilowatt hours. Anything past the 1,000 kilowatt limit will cost you $13.70.
For Marie Cox, a St. Pete Duke Energy customer, they charged the $13.70 rate for the 12 extra days. She’s outraged that the company is making customers pay higher rates at their expense while Duke changes their system.
“That’s a chunk of change that Duke really didn’t earn,” said Cox, a retired mathematician who worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, via the Times. “It’s smoke and mirrors in the accounting room.”
J.R. Kelly represents citizens before the Public Service Commission, and he says that Duke is allowed to charge extra under state regulations. However, he agrees that they’re profiting unfairly.
“The bottom line is they’re charging consumers for something that is not the consumers’ fault,” Kelly said.
Duke says they will offer a payment plan if you can’t afford the change while they shift their reading system.
