Florida - Wednesday March 1, 2023: Florida Power & Light Company filed a plan with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) Wednesday to reduce customer fuel charges by $379 million beginning in May.
The proposal would reduce the fuel charge from May through December. For a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer their bill would be reduced by about $4.43 a month, including taxes and fees. The projected saving takes into account an expected second downward revision in projected natural gas costs for 2023 after last year's high levels.
In a news release the company said the fuel charge relief is meant "to partially offset proposed bill increases to pay for last year's two hurricane restorations and high fuel costs."
"This is good news for customers," said CEO of FPL President Armando Pimentel. "We recognize that sharp inflation is impacting our customers and that every dollar counts which is why we are pleased to provide relief to customers as fuel prices have moderated."
The PSC is considering proposals FPL submitted in January to increase customer bills in April to recover $1.3 billion in incremental restoration costs from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole and $2.1 billion to make up for higher-than-projected natural gas costs in 2022.
To partially offset these proposed increases, FPL's January filing also called for decreasing projected 2023 fuel charges by $1 billion due to an expected drop in natural gas prices below original projections. Today's proposal to reduce fuel charges by $379 million is in addition to the earlier $1 billion proposed reduction.
FPL offers energy-saving tips to customers With the bill increase proposed to take effect in April, FPL is encouraging customers to take steps now to lower their bills by monitoring energy use and making their homes more energy efficient.
For example:
- Depending on the season, customers should cool their home at 78° or warmer or heat their home at 68° or cooler. Each degree customers lower or increase the temperature on their thermostat can reduce their bill by 5% a month for heating or cooling costs. Customers can clean the lint filter in their dryer before each load to minimize drying time.
- Turn off ceiling fans and lights in unoccupied rooms.
- View daily, weekly and monthly energy use by using the FPL Mobile App, which is available on the Apple App store, Google Play or by texting "App" to MyFPL (69375).
- Customers can activate the free FPL Energy Manager tool to monitor how their home is using energy and identify ways to save.
- For more helpful tips, customers can visit FPL.com/waystosave.
FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.