PASCO CO., Fla. — As the summer season comes to Tampa Bay, so too is the heat.
What You Need To Know
- With warmer temps settling in, energy companies across Tampa Bay are expecting a busy summer ahead
- Duke Energy and TECO are reminding customers of cost effective ways to help save some money on their bills as they crank the A/C
- To help beat the heat, both companies will do cost-cuts to customer bills beginning in July
Warmer temperatures have certainly made their presence known here in the last few weeks. Plenty will be looking to beat the heat this summer and, to so, energy is going to be needed. Power companies are getting prepared for what is sure to be a busy season.
“As one of the largest utilities in Florida, we have to always be prepared and ready,” says Audrey Stasko, spokesperson with Duke Energy Florida.
With the summer heat seemingly here to stay, many in the Tampa Bay area will be looking to stay cool. And probably the first thing that comes to mind? Cranking the A/C.
“We provide an essential service so our systems and our teams have to be ready at all times to ensure that we’re meeting our customers demands,” said Stasko.
Those at Duke Energy say they are expecting a pretty busy energy usage season this summer. But keeping a close eye on that thermostat can help customers save an extra buck or two.
“Making sure, too, that your air conditioning unit is being looked at by a technician or somebody like that once a year,” says Stasko. “Just to make sure it’s running properly and most efficiently.”
Every degree that you turn the A/C up, you’ll be saving energy and money. Tampa Electric recommends customers set their thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when you’re away from home. They also advise to only use ceiling fans in occupied rooms.
Duke also looks for patterns, comparing past year’s energy usage with the current. Even with the rise in electric vehicles, experts can pin-point how much energy will be used by customers.
“(We use) real-time data, historical data, predictive modeling to ensure that we have enough capacity and our grid is stable and reliable to meet those demands, no matter what comes our way with EVs as well as population growth and all of those things,” Stasko said. “It’s something that we’re always looking at.”
Air conditioners make up about 30 to 35% of a customer’s monthly energy bill. Each degree can make a 7 to 15% difference in your bill depending on your unit. Duke and TECO are providing a cost-cut to customers this summer, with as much as $6 being deducted from their bill starting in July.
“This is the second decrease that we’ve had consecutively,” says Stasko. “As long as fuel prices remain how they are, we’ll continue to manage our costs and provide those savings to our customers.”
Both Duke Energy and TECO have energy-saving programs customers can sign-up for.
