ELECTRIC
Table of Contents
Welcome..........................................................................................................................2
Understanding Your Bill..............................................................................................3
Making Payments..........................................................................................................6
Storm & General Safety............................................................................................ 10
Rebates & Other Programs...................................................................................... 12
Conserving Energy..................................................................................................... 14
Additional Info............................................................................................................. 18
www.FPUC.com
Welcoming You to FPU
Florida Public Utilities (FPU) is happy to welcome you as a new customer
and looks forward to delivering an endless amount of exceptional service
and positive energy to you.
True to our belief that a happy customer is an informed customer, we offer
the following guide as an informational source for almost everything you
need to know about your energy service.
Keep this useful guide handy. For any questions or concerns, please
do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Team at 800.427.7712.
Our Associates will be more than happy to assist you.
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Understanding Your Bill
Monthly bills will reflect usage based on the read taken 4. Current Charges—Should be paid before the
from your meter, which will vary from month to month ‘Due Date’ on each bill to avoid any late fees
depending on how much electricity you use and the or penalties
current cost of electricity. Circumstances affecting
your monthly bill include changes in the weather, the 5. Current Charges Due On—The date to pay the
number and type of appliances you use, the amount of bill in order to avoid late fees and penalty fees
time you spend at home, and more.
6. Total NOW Due—The total amount owed.
The bill you receive from FPU includes the following Reflects all transactions occurring in a billing
charges, approved by the Florida Public Service period including past due charges and late fees
Commission (PSC).
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1. Previous Account Balance—The amount
owed from the previous bill, including any
unpaid balances
2. Less Payments—Credits or unscheduled
payments received during the last billing cycle
3. Past Due Or Credit Balance—Due immediately
and subject to late fees, this represents the
balance remaining after the scheduled date
of payment
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7. Current Reading—Represents the current 9. KWH Used—Amount of electricity used in a
reading taken from the meter on the month as measured in Kilowatt-hours
date indicated
10. Multiplying Factor—Converts the energy used
8. Previous Reading—Subtracted from the current to the billed energy units of Kilowatt-hours
reading to determine the amount of consumption
to be billed 11. Total KWH Used—Amount of electricity used
in a month as measured in Kilowatt-hours. Can
be calculated by subtracting your prior month’s
meter reading from that of the current month
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12. KW Used—Amount of electricity used in a 18. Important FPU Messaging—Be sure to look here
month as measured in Kilowatts every month for important messaging from FPU
13. Customer Charge—A fixed amount used to Please Note:
cover the cost of your service, meter and billing. • Transactions occurring after a billing period will be
This charge is applied regardless of the quantity shown on the next bill
of electricity you use
• Past due balances: A detailed explanation of charges is
included on each bill you receive. Past due amounts will
14. Base Energy per KWH—A ‘per unit’ fixed cost
only be detailed in the first bill showing the past due
used to cover the cost of distribution. Assessed
amount; future related bills will show only the
during each billing cycle without regard to your
amount due
specific demand or energy consumption
15. PPA per KWH—‘Purchase Power Adjustment’ is
the ‘per unit’ pass-through cost based on what Contact our Customer Care
FPU pays for the electricity we purchase. FPU Team at 800.427.7712 for
does not make a profit on these costs more information.
16. Taxes & Fees—Local, state, municipal and
franchise taxes and fees determined by (and
paid directly to) the State of Florida and/or the
municipality in which you live
17. Total Current Charges—Includes other
categories such as electric charges, contract,
or other. This gives a total for all categories
included in the bill
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Making Payments
FPU offers a variety of payment options to make paying 5. In Person—Make a payment at your local
your monthly energy bill as convenient as possible. FPU office. Or, pay at one of FPU’s Partner
Payment Centers to take advantage of greater
1. By Mail—Send checks to the address shown on payment accessibility and flexible service.
your bill with account number clearly notated. Customer benefits typically include payment
Please include your original FPU ‘bill stub’ to service without fees, extended hours (including
ensure that your payment is credited to your evenings and weekends), receipt of payment,
account. (FPU will credit your payment and more! Visit FPUC.com/Payments to find a
on the same day we receive it. However, please Partner Payment Center near you.
allow up to 5 days for mail delivery.)
Please Note:
2. Online—Visit FPUC.com to sign up for Payment options at Partner Payment Centers normally
include cash, money orders and debit cards only—and
convenient online bill pay, including EZ Pay
it may take up to three days to credit your account.
and QuickPay You must also bring your FPU bill in order to make a
payment, and a processing fee may apply.
3. By Phone—Call 877.337.3145 to take care of
payments by phone. (A small fee may apply.
Please have your FPU account number and
method-of-payment handy) Visit FPUC.com/Payments for more on
each payment method, or contact FPU
4. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)—Sign up to with questions.
have your monthly FPU payment automatically
deducted from your checking account
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What To Do When You Can’t Pay Your Bill
If you cannot pay your energy bill on time, contact our
Customer Care Team immediately at 800.427.7712
to avoid allowing the bill to become delinquent. FPU
may be able to arrange special payment schedules for
customers who need time to pay the entire bill. But
remember, we can only help you if you let us know you
need help.
Energy-Assistance Programs
Social-service organizations located throughout our
service territory are ready to assist those in need. For
more information on some of the energy-assistance
programs offered throughout FPU’s service areas—
including agency names and phone numbers for your
city or county—contact our Customer Care Team at
800.427.7712.
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Budget Billing
Weather, fuel costs, the age of your appliances or HVAC
system, and a variety of other factors can cause your
FPU bill to fluctuate during the year. Budget Billing
allows you to stabilize your monthly energy costs by
paying the same amount each month—preventing
spikes in your bill.
• FPU will calculate your monthly energy cost by
averaging the amounts of your last 12 energy bills
• The average total will be increased to account for
energy cost inflation
• The only time your monthly amount may differ is
if you received service work during the previous
billing cycle or specific circumstances cause your
amount to be re-budgeted
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Disconnected Service Customer Deposits
FPU will interrupt service if bills are not paid on time— New customers are required to provide a deposit before
but only as a last resort. If we do not hear from you prior service is activated. Residential and commercial customers
to the bill becoming delinquent, an FPU representative are eligible for a refund after 23 months based upon
will process an interruption to your service. Our goal payment history. Terms, interest rates and deposit amounts
is to: may vary. Please call 800.427.7712 for additional details.
• Be flexible and treat each customer’s Please Note:
case individually Your deposit may be waived if you provide one of
• Take into consideration such factors as weather, the following:
death or illness in the family, age, disability, 1. Proof of three years of employment with the
and/or handicap same company
• Continue providing service to you, 2. Valid ID indicating you are age 60 or older
our valued customer
3. A credit score of 660 or higher
If service is disconnected due to late payment, we may
require payment of past due amounts and/or deposit
modifications may need to be paid before service is Contact our Customer Care Team
reconnected. In addition, a reconnection fee will apply. at 800.427.7712 with additional
questions about making payments.
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Storm & General Safety
FPU Emergency Response After A Hurricane
FPU has emergency services available 24 hours a • Do not operate electric appliances or controls you
day/7 days a week. Please leave the area and contact suspect have been flooded or damaged
us immediately if:
• Do not remove fallen trees and stay away from
• A power line has been broken by severe weather power lines that are flooded or otherwise damaged
or clean-up activities
• You witness an act of power theft or perceive • In the event of a power outage, please call your
danger due to a power outage local FPU office to report the outage and have our
trained technicians safely turn your electricity back
• Your electric service is damaged in any way on (see the next page for more information)
Before A Hurricane
• Unplug unnecessary electrical equipment,
including computers, TVs, etc.
• Wrap pool pumps and filters in waterproof
materials after turning them off
• Do not lower your TV antenna or satellite dish
prior to looking up and assessing the location of
power lines
• If someone in your home is dependent upon
electric-powered medical equipment, make
arrangements to receive backup power or take
steps to relocate the individual
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Reporting Power Outages Power Theft
Before calling FPU to report a power outage, please Power theft is the tampering of electric service
check to see if any of your neighbors are also affected. connections and/or meters with the intent to avoid
(This will help FPU confirm the scope of the outage.) paying for electricity. Attempting to steal power is a
If your residence appears to be the only one without dangerous and illegal act that can result in:
power, we also recommend checking your circuit
breakers and fuse boxes to see if the problem is limited • Fire and numerous other threats to public safety
to your home’s electric system. • Severe bodily injury, including burns
and electrocution
After completing the steps above, please call FPU
at 800.427.7712 to report the outage and have our • Severe legal ramifications, including large fines
trained technicians safely turn your electricity back on. and possible imprisonment
Report Power Theft
If you suspect someone of tampering with electricity,
leave the area immediately and call 800.427.7712 to
report the incident. Calls can be made anonymously
and FPU urges against confronting the
individual directly.
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Rebates & Other Programs
FPU offers residential and commercial customers C O M M E R C I A L R E B AT E S
rebates for including the following energy-efficiency
upgrades. Please visit us online or call 800.427.7712
for additional rebate eligibility information and Commercial Heating & Cooling
other details.
Efficiency Upgrade
Get a $100 rebate on a new High Efficiency Central
R E S I D E N T I A L R E B AT E S Air Conditioning System or High Efficiency Heat Pump
that has a minimum SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency
Residential Heating & Cooling Rating) of 15. Dealer incentives may also apply.
Efficiency Upgrade
Commercial Chiller Upgrade
Get a $100 rebate on a new High Efficiency Central
Air Conditioning System or High Efficiency Heat Pump Upgrade existing water-cooled centrifugal chillers,
that has a minimum SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency water-cooled scroll or screw chillers, and air-cooled
Rating) of 15. Dealer incentives may also apply. electric chillers—and qualify for up to $175 per KW of
additional savings above the minimum efficiency levels.
Commercial Reflective Roofing
Earn $0.075 per sq.ft. when installing new roofs
on new or existing facilities or $0.325 per sq.ft. for
converting to a cool roof with Energy Star certified
roofing material.
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SurgeDefense From HomeServe
Severe lightning strikes can cause surges that can destroy
major appliances including refrigerators, dishwashers
and washing machines, leaving you responsible for the
repair cost. Repairing or replacing damaged appliances
due to power surges can be expensive, costing you
thousands of dollars in unforeseen expenses. Help
protect yourself with SurgeDefense from HomeServe,
an independent company separate from FPU, and
enjoy these benefits:
• $5,000 annual benefit with multiple service calls
for covered repairs
• Coverage for a small monthly fee
• Monthly charges included on your FPU utility bill
• Access to a US-based Repair Hotline 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year
Call HomeServe at 1.855.874.4646 or visit
FLSurgeDefense.com for information on
signing up, or for more details.
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Conserving Energy
3. Follow up with more tools and information, such
Free Energy Check-Ups
as a documented overview of your Free Energy
Visit FPUC.com/FreeCheckUp or call 800.427.7712 Check-Up and a printed report detailing specific
and a qualified Energy Conservation Representative ideas on how to keep your utility bills down.
will help you increase the value of your home Plus, we will recommend additional work
(and S T R E T C H every last energy dollar!) in three when needed.
easy steps:
Free Online Energy Evaluations
1. Check your home for sources of energy waste
and inefficiency including water heating,
Learn how to save energy like an expert from the
lighting, HVAC, etc.—and create a customized
comfort of your computer. Completing a Free
analysis of your energy use.
Online Energy Evaluation is a great, do-it-yourself
alternative to scheduling a Free Energy Check-Up.
2. Show you what steps you can take to conserve Visit FPUC.com/FreeCheckUp to get started!
energy, save money and get more comfort,
including:
Ask The Energy Experts
• Specific changes to reduce your
monthly energy bills
Submit your energy-related questions to FPU’s
• Data regarding monthly operating costs Energy Experts at FPUC.com/EnergyExpert. Plus,
of your appliances view related Q&A’s, energy saving tips and more.
• Insight on how each appliance contributes
to your utility bill
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Energy-Saving Tips
Every time you use your energy-efficient appliance(s), Clothes Drying:
you are conserving energy. Read the following • Clean your dryer’s lint filter after each and
everyday tips and see how you can start saving every load
even more!
• Dry consecutive loads of clothing to take
Water Heating: advantage of retained heat
• Set the temperature on your water heater to • Let clothes ‘air dry’ when possible
120 degrees
• Run your dishwasher only when it is full Climate Control:
• Change your washing machine’s temperature • Keep your thermostat set at 78 degrees in the
setting from hot to warm and cut the ‘energy summer and 68 degrees in the winter
use per load’ in half • Clean or replace dirty A/C and/or furnace filters
• Take 5-10 minute showers rather than baths once a month
• Turn on ceiling fans to enjoy an additional
3 degrees of cooling power while taking an
Cooking: energy load off the AC (but don’t forget to turn
• Cover pots and pans when bringing off your fan when you leave the room!)
water to a boil • Close window blinds when it’s hot and keep
• Clean your cooktop thoroughly and often them open when it’s not
• Avoid opening the oven while cooking
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Miscellaneous: Low Income Energy Outreach Program
(Residential Customers Only)
• Replace traditional, incandescent light bulbs
with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), FPU’s Low Income Energy Outreach Program provides
and turn off lights every time you leave qualifying residential participants with a variety of
the room budget-friendly tools, resources and support designed
• When purchasing new appliances, choose to encourage energy-saving practices.
those featuring the ENERGY STAR® label
Components of this program include:
• Turn off TVs, computers and any other
appliances that aren’t in use, with the exception • Free Energy Check-Ups to pinpoint major sources
of your refrigerator of energy waste and show homeowners specific
ways to conserve energy. Homeowners will also
• Run your pool pump for a span of 8 hours receive Free Weatherization Kits, which may
when the water temperature is higher than
include caulk, weather strips, LED light bulbs and
70 degrees, and for 6 hours when it’s below
a variety of other energy-efficient products
70 degrees
• Ongoing Energy-Saving Materials that may
• Cover your pool when it’s not in use, which can range from educational literature to energy-
save you up to 50% on pool heating costs
efficient goods and products—all designed to help
participants keep their energy-savings on track.
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• Community Conservation Events to inform Commercial Energy Consultation Program
participants and other community members about
the latest conservation tips, tools, programs and Call 800.427.7712 for an Energy Consultation with
other new energy-saving resources that may a qualified Energy Conservation Representative
be available. who will:
• Conduct a site visit to educate you on FPU’s
In order to be eligible for the Low Income Energy commercial energy conservation program
Outreach Program: offerings, assessing your potential for
• The residential customer must be the owner of program participation
the home • Conduct an electric bill review and offer
• The home must be located in FPU’s electric commercial energy-saving suggestions
service area • Inform you about FPU’s commercial online
• The home must be older than three years old energy-efficiency resources and tools
• The residential customer must meet the income
verification requirements specified by the local
low income weatherization organization
• The residential customer must receive a Free
Energy Check-Up, if required by the low income
weatherization organization
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Additional Info
FPU invites you to visit FPUC.com to find
more comprehensive information and instructions on:
• Transferring your electric service
• Reading your meter
• And virtually anything that has to do with FPU!
Or call 800.427.7712 for additional information,
answers, and/or guidance over the phone.
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