Progress Energy and Tampa Electric customers could start seeing a bit of financial relief on their Utility bills in the next couple of months! As fuel prices have dropped, the savings will trickle down to the customers.

Although, Tampa Electric's base rate increase was approved on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, for the first time since 1993, they wish to lower the customer’s bills by $13 per 1,000 kW hours. This will cause the increase and decrease to offset each other leaving a decrease on the utility bill of about $8 per 1,000 kW hours. We won't know the exact figures until after the Public Service Commission hearing on April 7, 2009. If the request is approved, it will begin to reflect on utility bills by May of 2009.

Come April, Progress Electric customers will see a decrease on their monthly utility bills by roughly $15 per 1,000 kW hours. After the outrage by the public in the beginning of the year protesting the 24% increase that Progress Electric slapped on their bills to cover the future nuclear plant in Levy County and the high cost of fuel, Progress Energy, not only decreased the nuclear charge, but because of the decline in fuel costs; they lowered the fuel charges, as well.

Don't think for a minute that these cuts in costs are being done out of the kindness of the utility company's heart! According to the Florida Law, utility companies are not allowed to make a profit from fuel, the saving must be passed back to the customer! The base rates are what is used to determine the company's profit; not the fuel costs.