Each January, Tampa Electric puts into effect the fuel charges that were approved by the Florida Public Service Commission in the company's annual fuel filing. Our 2012 rates and charges resulted in slightly lower bills for our customers. A residential customer's bill reflecting 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) usage dropped to $106.90 from $107.02 a month. Commercial customers remained flat; industrial customers saw a slight decrease.
Tampa Electric residential customers' bills remain more than 8 percent below the national average – which is $116.80 per month, according to May 2011 data from the Energy Information Administration. After adjusting for inflation, customers are paying bills that are 17 percent lower than 20 years ago – compared to other staples, such as gasoline and bread, which have risen 99 percent and 21 percent, respectively, during that time.
Our fuel mix is predominantly comprised of coal and natural gas. The cost of fuel is a substantial portion of an electric bill, currently almost 40 percent for residential customers. The decrease in the fuel portion of the bill is based on lower costs for natural gas and purchased power during 2011, and lower natural gas cost projections for 2012.
Fuel costs are passed through from fuel suppliers to our customers with no markup or profit to Tampa Electric. Although the company cannot control the price of fuel, we maximize the use of existing low-cost, well-performing plants and power purchased from other companies to mitigate costs and pass the savings to our customers.
Understanding Power Costs
When you pay your monthly electric bill, what exactly are you paying for? Here you’ll find an explanation of your bill components and the costs that go into your electric service.
Customer Communications
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