Duke Energy Florida updates fuel, capacity rate request to lower bills
Owing to long-awaited, falling natural gas cost projections, Duke Energy Florida filed this week to update a fuel and capacity rate request first applied for in January, pushing for lowered bills that could save the typical residential customer about $8.50 per month.
“Duke Energy wanted to take immediate steps to provide cost relief for our customers,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, said. “We understand some families are facing financial pressures and encourage anyone who needs assistance to reach out to us.”
Duke Energy Florida presides over 10,500 MW of energy capacity that it supplies to 1.9 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Florida. If its newest request is approved, the typical monthly bill for a residential customer would be approximately $190.56, based on those using 1,000 kWh of energy, from April 2023 onward. Commercial and industrial customers would see decreases in costs of between 5 percent to 9 percent.
While natural gas prices had been dropping for years, 2021 and 2022 saw a spike emerge as the industry grappled with inflation’s grip on the national economy. Natural gas is the main fuel source for Duke Energy Florida.
