Duck River Electric will adjust its retail rates and monthly customer charge, resulting in an overall 1.25% increase effective October 1, 2026. The actual impact will vary based on energy use and account type.

Residential households served by Duck River Electric use an average of 1,365 kilowatt-hours per month. For a residential member using that amount of energy, the September bill includes a $36.06 customer charge and $118.17 energy charge, totaling $154.23. In October, the customer charge will increase to $39.10, while the energy charge will decrease slightly to $117.58. The resulting bill is $156.68 — a net increase of approximately $2.45. These bill comparisons do not include other TVA charges that make up the total amount of a member’s bill.

As cooler weather arrives and TVA’s wholesale rates transition to lower seasonal rates on October 1, the overall impact on electric bills may be even more favorable in the weeks ahead.

“No one wants to see costs increase, and we understand the impact that can have on the families and businesses we serve,” said DREMC President & CEO James Wright. “Our commitment to our members goes beyond keeping the lights on. It means we must also be good stewards of the cooperative and make the investments necessary to provide safe and reliable electricity today and for generations to come.”

Why the customer charge is changing

The largest portion of the October adjustment is the monthly customer charge. This fixed fee helps DREMC recover a portion of the costs associated with operating and maintaining the infrastructure required to provide electric service, including poles, wires, transformers, meters, substations and billing systems. The charge is applied each month regardless of how much electricity a member uses.

Operations and maintenance costs represent the second-largest share of DREMC’s expenses, behind only the cost of purchasing power from TVA.

“The customer charge reflects many of the costs required to maintain and operate the electric system every day,” Wright said. “Those costs have risen significantly due to inflation, affecting everything from transformers, bucket trucks and fuel to keep them running to paper, postage, IT equipment and basic office supplies needed to perform daily tasks.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual inflation rate reported in July 2026 was 3.4%.

“Our members deserve to understand how inflation affects DREMC and the real costs involved in delivering electricity to homes and businesses,” Wright said.

DREMC values transparency with its members, particularly when it comes to communicating openly about costs, challenges, decisions and infrastructure investments.

Resources to help manage energy costs

Duck River Electric offers several programs and resources to help members manage their energy expenses throughout the year:

Project HELP: Members experiencing financial hardship may qualify for emergency bill payment assistance through DREMC’s Project HELP program. Learn more and apply at dremc.com/community/project-help/.

Levelized Billing: This program averages energy costs throughout the year to help reduce seasonal fluctuations and provide more predictable monthly bills. Learn more about Levelized Billing and apply online at www.dremc.com.

EnergyRight Program: In partnership with TVA, DREMC offers energy-saving resources, rebates and financing opportunities for qualifying home-efficiency improvements through the EnergyRight program. Visit EnergyRight.com for details.