Fuel Costs Could Boost FPL Bills

Florida Power & Light customers would see increases in monthly bills starting in May because of higher-than-expected natural gas costs, under a recommendation issued Friday by staff members of the state Public Service Commission. FPL is seeking to collect an additional $302.5 million related to costs of fuel for its power plants. Each fall, the Public Service Commission approves estimated utility fuel costs, which are then passed on to customers. But utilities can return to the commission for increases if fuel costs are substantially higher than projected. The commission is slated to take up FPL’s request April 1.

The utility proposed beginning to collect the additional money in April, but the recommendation from commission staff members said the change should start May 1 to provide more time to give notice to customers. As a benchmark, the utility industry typically uses monthly bills of residential customers who consume 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. Currently, such FPL customers pay $99.05 a month. Under the commission staff recommendation, that amount would go to $103.02 in May and continue through December.

Article reposted with permission from The News Service of Florida.