Common Causes of High Bills

To gain control over your energy consumption, it’s helpful to understand the most common causes of high bills. They are:

1. Weather - Weather is the No.1 cause of high bills.

   • Hot Weather - Even if you never change your thermostat, cooling can account for half or more of your electric bill during hotter weather. When you lower your thermostat to stay comfortable in humid weather, it causes your A/C to run longer, which increases energy use.
   • Cold Weather - While your heater may not be on all the time, heating is two to three times more expensive than cooling. Also, people tend to take longer showers in colder weather, which increases water heating costs.

2. Fuel Costs - One of the main culprits of today's electric bills is the high cost of natural gas and oil FPL needs to generate most of the electricity it makes. The price of natural gas, which fuels 50 percent of FPL's electricity generation, has risen from $8.17 per million BTU in July 2007 (which formed the basis of FPL's 2008 fuel filing) to $10.75 per million BTU in May 2008, a 32 percent increase. Fuel oil, which powers 8 percent of FPL's electricity generation, has risen for the same period from $57.81 per barrel in July of 2007 to $89.02 per barrel in May of 2008, a 54 percent increase. The cost of this fuel -- on which FPL makes no profit -- now makes up more than half of the price you pay for electricity.
   
   
3. Electronics and appliances* - Many electronic devices continue to draw power even when they are not in use. So, consider either plugging these devices into a power strip with an on/off button, or unplugging items when not in use. This includes:
   • TVs (Larger and plasma TVs use more electricity and produce more heat, which makes your A/C operate more.)
   • Stereos
   • DVDs and DVRs
   • Cell phone or battery chargers

   *Caution: shutting some items off may require reprogramming.
   

4. Household – House guests, including kids home from college, can use a lot more electricity – more showers, laundry, cooking and dishes, all of which use hot water.  In addition, the size, age and type of house you live in can impact the amount of energy you consume.

5. Length of billing cycle - A billing cycle is the number of days in each bill. Normally, your meter is read on the same day every month but some months are longer than others and weekends and holidays can sometimes get in the way. Occasionally, an FPL employee can't get to your meter because a gate is locked or a dog is in the backyard, and it’s not safe to enter. As a result, some monthly bills cover as few as 25 days and some as many as 35 days.

For a more predictable bill:

Sign up for FPL's Budget Billing^® program. It evens out your energy costs throughout the year so you pay about the same amount each month. By knowing what to expect on your bill, it is easier to manage your monthly expenses.