Duke Energy programs available to help manage energy bills in Florida

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy today reiterated that help managing energy bills is available for any customer who may be experiencing financial hardship, including workers affected by the federal government shutdown, which is moving into its third week.

"While the government shutdown is a very visible issue now, we recognize that unforeseen hardships can happen to anyone at any time," said Lesley Quick, Duke Energy's vice president of revenue services. "To assist our customers who are having difficulties paying their bills, we have long offered programs and assistance agencies to help.

Billing / Payment Assistance Programs

For customers who are unable to commit to specific dates for payments, Duke Energy partners with local assistance agencies across our service areas, who distribute funds to individuals in need. Each state has specific programs and eligibility requirements. See the links below for what's available in Florida:

• Duke Energy Florida
• Energy Neighbor Fund:
• Bill Extender:
• Partnership Agencies:

Budget Billing / Equal Payment Plans

Customers who have more than 12-months of usage history at their current residence may qualify for one of our billing and payment plans that gives customers the option of levelized monthly payments.

These billing plans are ideal for customers who are unable to pay a large bill now, but can afford to pay the average amount. Please visit the link below to enroll and learn more.

• Florida:

Deferred Payments

In the event a customer is unable to pay a past due bill, Duke Energy's customer service specialists are available to discuss a customer's situation and provide assistance to meet the customer's specific needs.

Residential Customer Service Specialists are available Monday - Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST in Florida. Contact information is below:

• Duke Energy Florida: 800.700.8744

About Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts. The company is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing its energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding its natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves.

A Fortune 125 company, Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2018 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' 2018 "America's Best Employers" list.

More information about the company is available at . The includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on , , and .

Contact: Corporate Communications
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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