FPL decreasing rates for customers

Check those power bills! If you’re an Florida Power and Light customer, your wallet is getting a small break.

Customers were paying a temporary surcharge to help rebuild Southwest Florida after Hurricane Ian. FPL removed that surcharge on Monday which gave the average customer a seven-dollar decrease in their rate.

“Anytime we can decrease rates for customers, it’s a good day for FPL,” said Florida Power and Light Spokesperson Chris McGrath.

“It sure is nice to see it go down,” said Bob Lebreton, an FPL customer. “Something is going down for a change.”

Lebreton’s average power bill ranges between $150-$180 a month.

“We try and vacation out of Florida a little bit more in the summertime, and put our thermostat up to 83 or 84 degrees,” he said. “We don’t want to get those $200 plus electric bills during the summer seasons.”

This decrease would make a big impact for Lebreton and his family.

“With the higher price of fuel, to have our electric bill go down would probably save us 15%,” he said.

“I think it’s pretty good,” said Eve Celestin, an FPL customer. “Everything is really expensive.”

Celestin is a vet tech in Southwest Florida. While she makes a good living, she struggles to make ends meet.

“It’s stressful especially for me,” Celestin said. “I pay almost $2,000 a month in rent. I have my pets that I have to feed and myself.”

The surchage isn’t the only rate decrease FPL is handing out.

The company uses natural gas to generate electricity.

When the price of natural gas goes down, they’re able to lower customer bills.

The rate will lower another seven dollars come May 1 through the rest of the year.

“That helps a lot,” Celestin said. “It’s $14 somewhere to put toward something else.”

“It’s back to back rate decreases,” McGrath said. “It’s good news for customers. It’s good news for our communities and more money in our customers’ pockets.”

Since people tend to use more electricity in the summer months, customers might not see the decrease month over month. They’ll notice it more year over year.

FPL is also reminding people to create good energy habits to keep those bills lower over the summer.