On November 7, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Gulf Power’s request (Docket No. 160186-EI) to decrease bills in 2017 by $4.63 – from $148.64 to $144.01 for the average residential customer. That’s about the cost of an extra gallon of milk.
This will be the second year running during which Gulf Power customers have seen a drop-off in energy bills brought about what the investor-owned utility characterizes as ”careful planning and management of the natural gas and coal [we use] to generate electricity,”
This year, Gulf Power said, residential energy bills dwindled by 5 percent.
With all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company, the utility serves more than 447,000 customers throughout Northwest Florida.
“This price decrease is great news for our customers, especially as we head into the cold winter months,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “And because Gulf Power employees have been working hard toward a more balanced energy mix, our customers are able to take advantage of lower fuel prices now, and into the future.”
Every year, the Florida Public Service Commission adjusts Gulf Power’s prices to reflect cost changes in fuel, environmental controls, and energy conservation programs.
This decrease comes on the heels of a price increase request to continue to invest in the reliability of Northwest Florida’s energy infrastructure. In October (Docket No. 110138), Gulf Power requested that the Florida Public Service Commission conduct a public review of their prices and a proposed increase that would begin in July 2017. The last time customers saw a price increase was in January 2015, and when compared to those prices, the average residential customer’s monthly bill in July 2017 would increase by only $2.50 per month or less than 2 percent.
“If approved, that requested investment would help secure long-term reliability, continue smart grid improvements, and bolster our goal of achieving a balanced energy mix,” said Rogers. “Along with that request, we’ve asked for approval of new customer rate options designed to make bills more predictable,” at popular stores