'It's hot': Demand soars on Duke Energy power grid, Tips to keep energy bill down

RALIEGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Duke Energy says there's a lot of demand on the grid right now, as Central Carolina copes with days of oppressive heat.

People are bracing for what their energy bill might look like once all is said and done for the month of July.

"It's hot. People can pass out, I'm one of them," said Jeanette Sanders.

At home, she keeps her thermostat low throughout the day.

"I'm going to say between 70 and 73," said Sanders.

Other people say it's hard on these hot, humid days not to overdo it with the AC.

"We try to keep it as hot as we can so we're not spending as much money, but have a balance," said Teresa Keller.

Duke Energy says the grid is handling demand thanks to its energy plan and the company isn't even close to a situation where they need to buy power from other parts of the country.

"Air conditioning is one of the biggest users of energy in the home and a lot of times we don't realize during these long stretches of hot weather how much we've used," said Duke Energy Spokesperson Logan Kureczka.

The company is encouraging customers to make some adjustments to avoid sticker shock when the bill comes in.

"You have your thermostat. If you can possibly set it a few degrees higher than what you're normally used to, that's going to help you save because every degree you raise your thermostat can help you save up to 5 percent in cooling costs," said Kureczka.

And if you're out of the home all day, bump it up even more.

There are other things all of us can do to keep our bill down.

You can change air filters monthly, close blinds during the day, use a ceiling fan when you're in a room, and then turn it off when you leave.

Also run a dishwasher, washer, or dryer in the morning. You'll pay a higher rate in the evening between the 4 -8 PM window.

Customers can sign up for usage alerts, which can help them keep tabs on how much energy they're using and can then make adjustments.