Duke Energy Florida looking to expand services to help low-income customers

Published on July 06, 2021 by Dave Kovaleski


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Duke Energy Florida is taking steps to provide additional assistance to customers through its low-income programs.

Specifically, the company filed a proposal with the Florida Public Service Commission to make several changes to help customers experiencing hardships due to COVID-19.

Among the changes, the company will increase the Neighborhood Energy Savers targeted customers by 5 percent. Also, the company is making temporary changes to the approved Florida Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (FEECA) programs for qualifying lower-income customers at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. To provide almost immediate relief to those customers, all eligible customers enrolled in the company’s approved Residential Demand Response Program will receive a $30 “assistance incentive” in the form of a gift card that can be used to help pay their energy bill.

Also, Duke Energy Florida will offer 20,000 assistance kits to provide energy efficiency savings to customers in need.

“Our customers remain our top priority. Duke Energy Florida is committed to assisting all of our customers, especially those who are most vulnerable,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, said. “We want customers to know we are here when they need us most.”

The filing was part of an agreement developed with several consumer groups, including the CLEO Institute, Vote Solar, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

“Too many families are struggling with unnecessarily high energy bills because their homes lack the basic energy efficiency improvements needed to reduce energy waste,” said George Cavros, Florida energy policy attorney for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “We thank Duke Energy for its engagement with stakeholders on this first step towards addressing Florida’s significant energy affordability challenge.”