GREENSBORO, N.C. — Have you looked at your Duke Energy bill lately? Our eyes normally gravitate to the total amount due, it's the biggest number. But the bill breakdown is what a lot of folks are talking about right now, specifically, a line item called the Summary of Rider Adjustments.
On my bill, it was $12.50, but some folks say their charge was $30. Folks on social media were calling it a new charge.
“We recently redesigned our bill format so it is more transparent and it provides more information about the various charges that make up your total bill and one of them is the Summary of Rider Adjustment,” said Jeff Brooks, a Duke Energy spokesperson.
Eleven different items make up the Summary of Rider Adjustments. When you look at the list you’ll see everything from the cost of fuel for power generation plants to the software to calculate customer billing, along with programs to manage energy efficiency.
Each of the riders on the list is calculated individually using a cents per kilowatt computation and then combined for a sum total. The Summary Rider Adjustment will likely change every month, it is linked to how much energy you use. Your line item is probably different than your neighbors.
But don't miss this, Duke Energy says this isn't a new charge.
“It's actually stuff that has been in your bill for years, but is now broken out so you can see it and we're more transparent about how we communicate it. If you want to compare your bill and understand what has changed, don't look at one month to the next because you have different usages from fall to winter, you want to look at the bill you have and the bill from the prior year,” said Brooks.
2 Wants To Know tested this out. I pulled my bills or every January since 2021 to see if there was a big jump.
2024: $89.00 (with Summary Rider Adjustment)
2023: $87.00 (no Summary Rider Adjustment)
2022: $107.00 (no Summary Rider Adjustment)
2021: $79.09 (no Summary Rider Adjustment)
Now you just know more about how your bill is calculated. However, you are probably seeing an increase in your bill.
Remember, Duke Energy was approved to raise the rate on the price per kilowatt.