Duke Energy plans to charge $25 extra to non-smart meter customers

Duke Energy plans to
charge $25 extra monthly to
non-smart meter users

Duke Energy Kentucky is launching its smart meter deployment program later this month, bringing the new digital technology to customers in northern Kentucky.

Don't want one? Then, a $25 monthly fee will be charged to your energy bill to cover the costs of manually reading your meter each month.

The new smart meters are part of Duke Energy's commitment to building a smarter energy future. The investment in the digital technology will improve reliability and help the company meet the changing needs and expectations of customers.

The new meters offer a number of enhanced services that will provide customers with more control over their energy use as well as offer tailored bill payment options.

Customers with smart meters will have the opportunity to pick billing due dates, and receive alerts that will guide their monthly budgeting and help them manage their personal energy lifestyle.

"Customers have told us they want more timely access to their energy usage information, and bringing these smart meters to Kentucky is a way for us to meet those expectations," said Jim Henning, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. "We know our customers also want more control over their energy usage, their utility bill and tools to help them make smart energy choices to best fit their needs."

Customers will be notified via bill inserts, post cards, door hangers, phone calls and letters to let them know when we will be in their neighborhood for installations. Deployment will take approximately eighteen months.

Pick Your Due Date
Pick Your Due Date offers eligible Duke Energy Kentucky customers the option to select a billing due date that best aligns with their personal needs and finances to provide more flexibility and control when paying their monthly bills.

Usage Alerts
Monthly energy costs can be tricky to predict. Duke Energy Kentucky customers can now take control of their electricity use and monthly budget with Usage Alerts.

Customers will automatically receive an email halfway through the billing cycle. The email will include the current bill amount and a projection of their final monthly bill. Customers also have the option to receive mid-cycle alerts via text message.

Customers can also set up budget alerts to help keep their bill in check. They will be informed when their bill is expected to reach a specific dollar amount of their choosing, allowing them to course-correct and cut back on usage if they wish. It's similar to when your cell phone provider gives you a data usage update when you are nearing the limits of your plan.

These offerings will be available as new smart meters are installed. These meters are an evolution of the company's previous meter-reading technology and provide greater benefits and a better experience for customers.

Faster Service
Are you moving? With smart meters, most residential customers may no longer have to wait for a Duke Energy representative to come to their premises to connect or disconnect their electric service because requests can be performed remotely. For reconnecting or disconnecting gas service, we will still need access to the gas meter.

Quicker Response to Power Outages
Today you still need to notify us if you are experiencing a power outage. With a new smart meter, there is a two-way conversation with our computer systems, and we will know more about outages than we know today. This could help us respond faster to restore service. In the future, your smart meter may even report the outage for you!

Fewer Estimated Customer Bills
Smart meters are read automatically – not manually –so there's no need to estimate bills when meters can't be easily accessed, such as during severe weather. Duke Energy will no longer have to access a customer's property for monthly, walk-by meter reads.

Your Information Is Safe and Protected
Your energy usage information is strictly confidential. Duke Energy does not share this data with anyone without your authorization. The information coming from our smart meters is encrypted and protected from the moment it is collected until the moment it is purged.

Once the smart meter is ready to be installed, if you opt out, then you'll have to pay extra for manual readings.