As of January 1, Gulf Power customers saw a 2.7 percent decrease in their electricity bills. The average residential bill for 1,000 kWh of electricity dropped by $3.71. Every year in January, the Florida Public Service Commission adjusts Gulf Power’s prices to reflect cost changes in fuel, environmental compliance, and energy conservation programs.
According to Rick DelaHaya, a Gulf Power spokesperson, the price decrease is a result of Gulf Power employees’ commitment to use the most cost-effective fuel resources available to generate electricity.
“We work hard to manage our fuel mix to provide affordable and reliable electric service for our customers,” DelaHaya said. “This is great news for all of our customers. We work diligently to keep prices down, and the result is lower electric bills.”
Gulf Power customers also saw the addition of another source of renewable energy added to the utility’s energy portfolio. As of January 1, Gulf Power’s first wind project became operational in central Oklahoma.
“The power we get from this project is expected to represent approximately 5 percent of our projected energy mix,” DelaHaya said. “Wind power helps diversify our power supply and, in this case, is projected to provide lower overall energy costs.”
Under the first agreement of its kind in the state, Gulf Power will be a leading purchaser of wind generation among all Florida utilities. Built in central Oklahoma where conditions are favorable for wind energy, the project will supply 178 MW of renewable energy to Gulf Power, enough energy to power approximately 50,700 homes per year.
“Wind power is an integral part of our diverse renewable energy portfolio,” DelaHaya said. “The best part of these new renewable energy projects is that they are cost effective for customers. It’s cost-effective renewable energy that diversifies our power supply. That makes environmental and economic sense.”
This will be Gulf Power’s fifth renewable energy project following the Perdido Landfill Gas-to-Energy Facility, which has produced more than 100 million kWh of electricity since 2010.
— Source: Gulf Power
For more information, go to www.gulfpower.com.
