Temperatures are up and so are energy bills

 

Why is my bill so high?

Many of you are asking this question, and we understand why. Higher energy bills can be a real hardship, especially when the cost of just about everything is up.

As you know, we’re in the middle of our hottest summer months and Florida is dealing with record-breaking heat and humidity. Cooling systems are the biggest energy user when it is hot and have the greatest impact on energy costs. Your air conditioner works to remove heat from the indoor air and transfers it outside. The hotter the temperature is, the harder these systems need to work. And air conditioning alone can account for more than 50 percent of your utility bill during summer months. To learn more about summer’s impact to your AC, watch the video at the bottom of the page.

In addition to these seasonal challenges, the Florida Public Service Commission approved bill increases earlier this year to recoup fuel costs that were extremely high in 2022 and to cover the costs to restore power after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole hit our area. The fuel increases are spread out through the end of 2024 and the storm surcharge expense is in effect until April 2024. It’s important to note that Tampa Electric does not profit from these increased fuel and storm costs; they are passed directly to customers without markup. Learn more about them here.

 

What can I do to lower my bill?

Raise the temperature of your thermostat. Small changes can make a big difference – for every degree higher you set your thermostat, you can lower your energy use by about six to seven percent. In the video at the bottom of the page, our energy expert Ian shares his best tips and tricks to keep your energy usage under control while staying cool. See more hot weather energy-saving tips.

Some residents may qualify for free installation of energy-saving products. Learn about our Neighborhood Weatherization program.

You can also create an online account (if you haven’t already) and perform an Online Energy Audit for insights and recommendations on your energy usage.

We hope you take advantage of our many free programs, tips and rebates to lower your energy bill during these hot summer months and all year round.

 

What are we doing to help?

• We are donating $1,000,000 to help qualified customers pay past-due bills via our Share program which assists customers having difficulty making utility bill payments. If you are in need of assistance, call 211.
• We are offering extended payment arrangement options for the remainder of the year. To discuss what options are available, call us at 888-223-0800 (Residential) or 866-832-6249 (Business).
• We are pausing disconnections for nonpayment during periods of extreme heat, when the temperature is expected to exceed 93 degrees or higher.
• Some customers may also qualify for assistance from numerous government and nonprofit programs for household expenses and utility bills. Residential customers can call 211 to speak to a representative. Learn more about additional resources on financial assistance available to small business customers.

To help costs in the long term, we are focusing on smart, meaningful investments such as solar energy and plant modernization which help us to reduce carbon emissions and how much fuel is used to produce electricity. Since 2018 solar energy has reduced customer fuel costs by $167 million and our newly modernized Big Bend Power Plant is estimated to save customers more than $700 million over its lifetime.