TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Duke Energy Florida, LLC’s (DEF) new, voluntary fixed bill program that allows the utility limited control of participating customers’ thermostats, while also maximizing energy resources during periods of peak demand.

“Participating customers in the My Energy Bill+ program benefit by receiving a fixed bill with a reduced risk adder,” said PSC Chairman Andrew Giles Fay.  “The program also helps system reliability and allows Duke to achieve peak demand reductions, which benefits all customers.”

My Energy Bill+ program allows residential customers to receive a fixed monthly bill for 12 months—calculated using the prior 12 months of actual usage data. The first 1,000 participants will receive a smart thermostat at no cost to the customer. 

In the My Energy Bill+ program, the utility will adjust the temperature within a specified range during specified demand response events.  Program participants may override an event by making changes to their thermostat during an ongoing event, but they also may be removed from the program due to excessive event opt outs. 

For program eligibility, customers must:

• have lived in their current residence for the past 12 months;

• have not defaulted on a DEF payment arrangement or been disconnected for nonpayment; 

• have a load profile that can be modeled with reasonable predictability; and

• have an eligible thermostat that is active, installed, and connected to Wi-Fi.

Eligible thermostats are those with a make and model on the list of thermostats able to communicate with the Demand Response Management System. Duke will offer a free thermostat to 1,000 income-qualified (IQ) customers (earn less than 200 percent of the income poverty guidelines). Duke will seek to offer IQ customers discounted thermostats and installation through collaboration with partners after the initial 1,000 IQ customers participate in the program. Thermostats will be partially funded through Duke’s Share the Light fund, as well as donations from program partners. 

DEF serves 1.9 million retail customers in Florida.

For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

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