CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Hot weather can lead to higher energy bills as customers try and stay cool this summer. Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) would like to offer some suggestions for managing these costs.

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To help customers prepare, Duke Energy offers assistance programs, including:


    --  Cooling Assistance Program -- Assists the handicapped, elderly and/or
        low income families with energy costs associated with the extreme summer
        temperatures. Partner agencies distributing funds include:
        duke-energy.com/community/programs/share-the-warmth-partner-agencies.asp
    --  Operation Fan-Heat Relief - This is a way for senior citizens to have
        some form of cooling in their residences during the summer months.
        --  In North Carolina, the program is administered by the N.C.
            Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging
            www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/heat/heat.htm
        --  In South Carolina the program is administered by the SC Office of
            the Governor, Office of Economic Opportunity http://oeo.sc.gov.
    --  Helping Home Fund -- Offers free assistance for income-qualified
        customers to make their homes more energy efficient. Customers receive a
        complete home energy assessment and assistance to help save on energy
        bills. duke-energy.com/helpinghomefund
    --  Equal Payment Plan (EPP) -- A free service that makes managing your cash
        flow easier by providing predictable monthly payments.
        duke-energy.com/north-carolina/billing/equal-payment.asp

As summer is in full swing, celebrate July 4(th) and manage your energy costs all summer long with the following energy-efficiency tips:


    --  Chill out and grill out. Cooking out is not only delicious, it's also
        smart. You won't heat up your kitchen, forcing your air conditioning to
        work harder and use more energy.
    --  Give your fridge the day off. Keep drinks in coolers or ice chests so
        your fridge isn't constantly opened and closed.
    --  Don't cool an empty house. If you'll be out and about, program your
        thermostat to work around your schedule.
    --  Pane relief. Close your curtains and shades before you leave home to
        keep the sun's rays from heating up the place. You can even move potted
        trees and plants in from of sun-exposed windows to act as shade.
    --  Huddled masses. Did you know a fully-stocked refrigerator keeps cold
        better than an empty one? Keep the fridge and freezer full and tightly
        packed, and the cold items will keep one another cold. It doesn't even
        have to be food; you can use water container or ice trays.
    --  Easy as pie. When you're baking your apple pie, resist that temptation
        to keep opening the oven door. Every time you open the door to take a
        peak, the temperature drops 25-30 degrees. That is a lot of wasted
        energy.

Duke Energy offers energy-efficiency products and services and information to help customers save energy and money. For more information visit duke-energy.com and click on Save Energy and Money.

Duke Energy
 Duke Energy is the largest electric power holding company in the United States with approximately $121 billion in total assets. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.3 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest.

Its commercial power and international energy business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

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SOURCE Duke Energy