Florida Utility Offers Eligible Customers a $200 Bill Credit

A little homework could put a $200 credit on the electric bills of some Florida Power & Light customers.

The utility’s new Saving Steps program rewards eligible, income-qualified customers who complete an energy-saving walkthrough. It is one of several resources available through FPL’s new online assistance center.

The one-time credit is limited to qualifying accounts and service addresses and is subject to funding availability.

Floridians can use a lot of energy in the summer, often cranking up their air conditioners to escape the heat and humidity. That can send electric bills soaring.

FPL says the new center is intended to make money-saving tools easier for customers to find.

Dawn Nichols, Vice President of Customer Service at FPL, said customers are looking for ways to manage their bills that are clear and practical.

“The Assistance Center is designed to make that support easier to find, whether a customer needs help today, wants to lower their future bill or is looking for additional resources to help pay other expenses including medical bills, rent or mortgage assistance,” Nichols said.

Interested customers can visit the FPL Saving Steps website to check their eligibility and begin the application process.

Applicants must live in FPL’s service area, have an active account and have a household income at or below the United Way ALICE threshold for their county.

The threshold considers household income, size and location and is intended to identify families that earn more than traditional government-assistance limits but still struggle to afford basic expenses.

Customers cannot qualify if their account has a history of fraud, including service tampering. The credit is available only once per account or service address, but both renters and homeowners can apply.

Customers who received LIHEAP, EHEAP or FPL Care to Share assistance within the past 12 months can proceed directly to the program’s informational videos and application.

Those who have not received qualifying assistance within the past 12 months must watch the videos, answer questions to demonstrate their understanding and have their household income verified by the Salvation Army before applying.

Customers whose eligibility can be confirmed through assistance received within the past 12 months may wait up to 60 days for the credit. Applicants who need income verification may wait up to 90 days from the beginning of the process.

The program’s funding can also vary by location. FPL may stop accepting applications in an area when funding is unavailable, though customers can check again later to see whether applications have reopened.

Florida Power & Light, which calls itself “America’s largest electric utility,” serves close to 12 million people in the Sunshine State. But only some of those customers will qualify for the $200 Saving Steps credit.

Customers who need help sooner can turn to other FPL resources for more immediate assistance with their bills.

Those resources include a program that allows residential customers who need additional time to pay their bills to find out whether they can temporarily push back their due dates. Eligibility depends on their past-due balances and payment histories.

FPL also offers a Bill Extender program that gives qualifying customers with fixed incomes an extra 10 days to pay their bill each month.

Customers with a household income that is 60% of the median income level in the state — or less — may be able to qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP.

With LIHEAP, eligible households can access up to $1,700 in government assistance toward their home energy bills over a period of 12 months, according to FPL’s website.

Customers who meet income and other eligibility guidelines can also participate in FPL’s Care to Share program.

Subject to funding availability and approval by an administering agency, Care to Share can connect qualifying Florida households with up to $750 in help for FPL bill payments over 12 months and up to $2,000 for qualifying electrical work done at their homes.

Other programs featured on the assistance site help customers monitor their energy consumption or determine whether they qualify for energy-saving home upgrades.

FPL’s Budget Billing program can also make bills more predictable by smoothing seasonal fluctuations throughout the year. The program does not reduce a customer’s overall energy costs but can help keep monthly payments more consistent.

Floridians looking for help beyond their electric bills can also use a searchable directory available through the assistance center.

The directory is powered by the social services referral platform Findhelp and can connect users with food and transportation resources as well as rent and mortgage assistance.

Erine Gray, Founder and CEO of Findhelp, said in the release that Findhelp and FPL are collectively building infrastructure for critical social care and making sure people can find meaningful relief in times of need.

Customers can visit the assistance center to search for relevant resources and review each program’s eligibility requirements.