Duke Energy may get $314M fuel adjustment

Duke Energy Florida should be able to collect an additional $314 million from customers to pay for higher-than-expected fuel costs for power plants, staff members of the Florida Public Service Commission has recommended.

The plan, if approved by the commission during a Feb. 1 meeting, would lead to Duke customers seeing increases in their monthly bills starting in March. For example, residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity would see their monthly bills go from the current $140.96 to $148.90.

Thursday’s recommendation came a day after Tampa Electric Co. requested approval to pass along about $165 million in additional costs to customers because of fuel costs. That increase, if approved, would take effect in April.

The utility industry has grappled for months with higher-than-expected natural gas prices.