Why is your power bill so high? What to check and where to find help

Key Points:

• A Consumer Reports survey reveals that about 20% of Americans have reduced grocery spending or switched to cheaper food to pay rising electricity bills, with 81% of long-term residents reporting increased costs over three years.
• Duke Energy's proposed rate increases in North Carolina are under regulatory review, with the utility citing infrastructure upgrades and growing electricity demand from data centers as reasons for the hike, despite consumer advocates arguing the increases allow excessive profits.
• Many customers find electric bills difficult to understand, prompting Duke Energy to offer tools like AI-powered Bill Insights, Usage Alerts, and detailed billing guides to help consumers track and manage their electricity usage and costs.
• The newly launched Electrify the Triangle initiative aims to assist residents in navigating energy upgrades and rebates by providing energy navigators and easing contractor rebate processes, building on previous local solar group purchasing programs.
• North Carolina residents can access various resources for bill assistance and home energy improvements, including state programs like Energy Saver North Carolina, Low Income Energy Assistance, and Duke Energy’s Share the Light Fund, while Consumer Reports continues advocacy efforts against rate hikes.