Duke Energy Florida (DEF) customers will see lower bills in 2021 as the company plans to decrease Florida residential rates by 2.8% while making grid improvements to enhance reliability, security and resilience.
If approved, residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) will notice a decrease of $3.63 or 2.8% in their monthly bill beginning January 2021. Commercial and industrial customers bill will range from 6.6% decrease to a 1.1% increase. However, the specific bill impact will vary depending on several factors. This decrease will be partially offset when rates are adjusted to include the investments in the Twin Rivers and Santa Fe solar plants as they come online in early 2021.
Catherine Stempien, President, Duke Energy Florida said: “In 2021, Duke Energy Florida is bringing new services and technologies to our customers while lowering costs and keeping residential rates for electricity lower than the national average. While our customers’ bills are decreasing, we know some of them to continue to face financial hardships. We’re providing enhanced care and expanded assistance for those impacted by the pandemic.”
Duke Energy Florida has been proactively working with customers who are accumulating past-due balances on their utility bills, offering payment plans to mitigate potentially more significant financial challenges in the future. The company will continue to assist residential and business customers whose accounts have fallen behind due to illness or lost wages.
