With temperatures expected to feel as hot as 100 degrees or more in some areas and temperatures running more than 10 to 15 degrees above normal for early September.
Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky are reminding customers about tools that can help them stay informed about their energy use and connect them with assistance programs if they need help.
Stretches of extreme heat this summer have driven higher electricity use. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July 2026 was the warmest month on record in the contiguous United States, resulting in higher cooling needs across southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky.
As temperatures rise, air conditioners work harder and use more energy to maintain the same indoor temperature. For example, when a thermostat is set to 72 degrees and the outdoor high is 82, the system bridges a 10-degree gap. When the outdoor high reaches 98, that gap grows to 26 degrees – and the system runs significantly longer to close it, using more energy, even though no one touched the dial.
Duke Energy customers can monitor and better understand their energy use by signing up for usage alerts.
Usage Alerts help customers stay on top of their energy use by providing a text or email alert midway through their billing cycle showing how much electricity they have used so far, and a projected bill estimate if usage continues at the same rate through the end of their billing cycle. By receiving this information before the billing cycle ends, customers have time to adjust their energy usage and potentially reduce costs before their bill arrives.