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Summer starts June 21: Duke Energy Florida highlights five key appliances to help customers manage energy use

Duke Energy Florida (NYSE:DUK) shares tips to help customers manage summer energy use and bills by focusing on five high-consumption appliances: air conditioners, electric water heaters, refrigerators/freezers, washing machines and dishwashers.

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Duke Energy Florida (NYSE:DUK) shares tips to help customers manage summer energy use and bills by focusing on five high-consumption appliances: air conditioners, electric water heaters, refrigerators/freezers, washing machines and dishwashers.

Guidance includes thermostat and water-heater settings, efficient laundry and dishwashing habits, and using mid-cycle Usage Alert emails to track consumption.

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Key Figures

Thermostat adjustment savings: 7–10% Water heater savings: 6–10% Low-flow shower savings: 25–60% +5 more
Thermostat adjustment savings
7–10%
Cooling cost reduction from raising thermostat for eight hours a day
Water heater savings
6–10%
Energy cost reduction by setting electric water heater to 120 degrees
Low-flow shower savings
25–60%
Additional savings from installing low-flow fixtures for hot water use
Duke Energy Florida capacity
12,500 megawatts
Owned energy capacity for Duke Energy Florida
Florida customers
2 million
Residential, commercial and industrial customers served by Duke Energy Florida
Florida service area
13,000 square miles
Duke Energy Florida service territory size
Electric customers
8.7 million
Electric utility customers served across six U.S. states
Owned energy capacity
55,700 megawatts
Total energy capacity owned by Duke Energy’s electric utilities

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jun 16
5 events
  1. Jun 16

    Community grants

    24h Move
    +0.6%

    Foundation awarded $77,500 in grants to seven Florida nonprofits for civic learning.

  2. Jun 15

    Grantmaking update

    24h Move
    +0.3%

    Completion of America250 grants, nearly $830,000 awarded across six-state service area.

  3. Jun 11

    Workforce initiative

    24h Move
    -0.7%

    Joined Careers Electric coalition to help train 25,000 electrical workers over 10 years.

  4. Jun 06

    Customer tips

    24h Move
    -1.2%

    Shared energy-saving tips and promoted free efficiency programs for Carolinas customers.

  5. Jun 05

    HERO grants

    24h Move
    +2.0%

    Provided $500,000 in HERO grants to 34 South Carolina groups for emergency preparedness.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

megawatts
1 terms
megawatts technical
"Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity"
A megawatt is a measure of electrical power equal to one million watts, describing how much electricity a plant or device can generate or use at a single moment. Investors use megawatts to compare the size and earning potential of energy projects—larger capacity usually means more electricity to sell—much like comparing the horsepower of engines to judge how much work they can do. Knowing megawatts helps assess scale, revenue potential, and grid impact of energy assets.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- While summer heat has already settled across Florida, the astronomical start of the season is observed this Sunday, June 21. Duke Energy Florida is helping customers manage their energy use – and their bills – by offering practical tips focused on the five appliances that use the most energy in the home: air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers.

The big five:

  1. Air Conditioners: Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature and raise it a few more degrees when leaving home. Adjusting it 7-10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day can lower cooling costs by up to 10%.  

  2. Electric water heaters: Behind an air conditioner, a water heater is typically the second-highest user of energy in a home. Set it to 120 degrees to save 6-10% on energy costs.

    • Showers often account for over half of a home's hot water usage – installing low-flow fixtures may result in 25-60% in additional savings.

  3. Refrigerators and freezers: Set the refrigerator temperature to 35-38 degrees. The freezer should be set to 4-5 degrees if it is part of a combined fridge/freezer and 0 degrees if it is a separate unit.

    • To check the seal on their refrigerator door for cracks or deterioration and avoid energy loss, try the dollar bill test: Close the door on a dollar bill – it should stay in place. If it falls, replace the worn seal.  

  4. Washing machines: Run full loads of laundry in the washing machine during morning or evening hours to lower energy use and reduce indoor heat. For additional savings, use cold water whenever possible.

  5. Dishwashers: Use the dishwasher's "eco-mode" and/or the air-dry or overnight-dry settings (instead of the heat-dry setting) to save water and energy.

Our view:

"Duke Energy Florida is here to help our customers take control of their energy use this summer," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "By focusing on how and when these five key appliances are used – while taking advantage of our many energy efficiency tools and programs – they should see that simple, strategic changes add up and can have a real impact on their bills."

Get a progress report:

Midway through each billing cycle, customers will get a Usage Alert email showing how much energy they have used so far. They can compare it to the same time last year (for example, July 2025 vs. July 2026) to track their progress – and, if needed, make further adjustments before their bill arrives.

More resources are available:

Duke Energy Florida offers several other energy efficiency tips, tools and programs as well as flexible payment options. More information can be found at duke-energy.com/SummerSolutions.  

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida. 

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

Contact: Aly Raschid
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
X: @DE_AlyRaschid

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/summer-starts-june-21-duke-energy-florida-highlights-five-key-appliances-to-help-customers-manage-energy-use-302805463.html

SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What are the five key home appliances Duke Energy Florida (DUK) says use the most energy?

Duke Energy Florida highlights air conditioners, electric water heaters, refrigerators/freezers, washing machines and dishwashers as top home energy users. According to Duke Energy Florida, managing how and when these five appliances run can meaningfully influence overall household energy use and monthly bills.

How can Duke Energy Florida (DUK) customers cut cooling costs with thermostat settings in summer 2026?

Customers can reduce cooling costs by adjusting thermostats higher when possible and while away. According to Duke Energy Florida, changing the setting by 7-10 degrees for eight hours daily may lower cooling expenses by up to 10%, improving seasonal bill management.

What water heater temperature does Duke Energy Florida (DUK) recommend to save on energy bills?

Duke Energy Florida recommends setting electric water heaters to 120 degrees to reduce energy costs. According to Duke Energy Florida, this setting may save about 6-10% on water-heating energy, and low-flow shower fixtures can add roughly 25-60% more hot-water savings.

How do Duke Energy Florida (DUK) Usage Alert emails help customers manage monthly bills?

Usage Alert emails give mid-cycle updates showing energy used so far in the billing period. According to Duke Energy Florida, customers can compare current usage with the same time last year and adjust appliance use before the bill arrives to better control costs.

What refrigerator and freezer settings does Duke Energy Florida (DUK) advise for efficiency?

Duke Energy Florida advises setting refrigerators to 35-38 degrees and combined-unit freezers to 4-5 degrees. According to Duke Energy Florida, separate freezers should be at 0 degrees, and checking door seals with a dollar-bill test can prevent energy loss and unnecessary costs.

How can laundry and dishwasher habits lower Duke Energy Florida (DUK) customer energy use?

Running full loads during morning or evening hours and using cold water can reduce laundry energy. According to Duke Energy Florida, using dishwasher eco-mode and air- or overnight-dry instead of heat-dry helps cut both electricity and water use, supporting lower household bills.

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