Saving energy this July 4th is as easy as pie

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Celebrate July 4th with fireworks and festivities while managing your energy costs. As summer is in full swing, follow these simple energy-efficiency tips to save this Independence Day and all summer long:

• 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 for additional savings.
• 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 front 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 peek, 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.

To help customers prepare for summer, Duke Energy also offers assistance programs and services, including:

• Cooling Assistance Program -- Assists the handicapped, elderly and/or low income families with energy costs associated with the extreme summer temperatures. Learn more: www.duke-energy.com/community/programs/cooling-assistance.asp
• Helping Home Fund -- Offers free assistance for income-qualified customers in North Carolina 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

About Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index 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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