Why is my FPL bill so high?

• Air conditioning. Cooling is about 30% of the electricity Florida homes use, compared with 19% nationally, according to EIA's household survey. FPL calls weather the top driver of high bills, because the AC runs longer and harder.
• The 1,000 kWh tier. FPL charges about 12.3¢ per kWh (before taxes) for the first 1,000 kWh a month and about 14.3¢ for every kWh after that, because both the base energy charge and the fuel charge go up 1¢ above 1,000 kWh. Big summer months cost more per kWh, not just more kWh.
• A rate increase. The Public Service Commission approved FPL's four-year rate agreement in November 2025, raising base rates by $945 million in 2026 and $705 million more in 2027. The typical 1,000 kWh bill went from $134.14 to $136.64 in January 2026.
• Higher storm protection and fuel charges. The storm protection charge, which pays for hardening and burying power lines, rose from 0.810¢ to 0.995¢ per kWh, and the fuel charge rose from 2.446¢ to 2.893¢ per kWh for the first 1,000 kWh.
• Longer billing periods and more time at home. FPL notes that a bill covering more days, or a household at home more often, uses more power.

If the spike came in a cold month, see why Florida bills jump in winter.

Taxes and local fees, such as the gross receipts tax and city franchise fees, add to these amounts, which is why FPL's own typical 1,000 kWh figure is $136.64. Northwest Florida (the former Gulf Power area) paid $141.36 for 1,000 kWh in 2026, and both regions move to the same rates in 2027.

The 2025 hurricane surcharge for Debby, Helene and Milton, which added about $12 a month, ended, which is why the typical bill rose only about 2% even though nearly every other charge went up. FPL also returned about $80 million it had over-collected for those storms as a one-time credit, about $8 on a typical September 2026 bill.

• Different billing periods. FPL reads meters on weekdays and some Saturdays, so the days on each bill vary between 25 and 35. Use the same power every day and a 35-day bill covers 40% more electricity than a 25-day one.
• Weather. A hot spell runs the AC longer, and a cold snap can switch on heat strips.
• The 1,000 kWh line. Every kWh over 1,000 in a month costs about 2¢ more, so a big month raises your price per kWh as well as your use.
• Estimated reads. When FPL can't read the meter (a technical problem, severe weather, a locked gate or a dog in the way), it estimates from your past use, and any difference shows up on the next bill. Your bill says when it's estimated.

On Budget Billing, your payment still moves a little each month. FPL recalculates it every bill as the average of your last 12 monthly bills plus 1/12 of your deferred balance, the running gap between what you've used and what you've paid. If you leave the program, or FPL removes you, that deferred balance lands on your next bill and you can't rejoin for 12 months.

Yes, base rates are set to rise again. The rate agreement adds $705 million in base revenue in 2027, and from 2028 adds charges for new solar and battery plants. When it proposed the deal in September 2025, FPL estimated the typical 1,000 kWh bill at $143.05 in January 2027.

In October 2026 FPL asked the Public Service Commission for a lower figure: $141.87 for a typical 1,000 kWh bill from January 2027. That includes a new temporary storm surcharge of $3.48 a month, January through December 2027, to pay for restoring power after Hurricane Isaias and to rebuild its storm reserve, more than offset by a lower fuel charge as natural gas costs drop. None of it is approved yet; the Public Service Commission still has to rule.

Fuel could offset part of that. FPL reported collecting about $176 million more than its 2026 fuel costs, which goes back to customers through 2027 fuel charges, set each fall by the Public Service Commission. The Office of Public Counsel estimated the agreement adds up to about $6.9 billion over four years.

The agreement is being challenged: after the Public Service Commission denied reconsideration in April 2026, consumer and environmental groups took the case to the Florida Supreme Court. No ruling had been reported as of October 2026.

Not directly yet, by FPL's account. The 2025 rate agreement created a separate rate for new loads of 50 megawatts or more, such as large data centers, with minimum payments, collateral and long contracts. FPL says those terms are meant to keep existing customers from paying for that growth. Consumer groups argued the agreement still raised home bills more than necessary.

• Watch the 1,000 kWh line. Every kWh above it costs about 2¢ more, so cutting summer use has an outsized effect. FPL's Energy Dashboard shows your use by month, day or hour and projects next month's bill.
• Budget Billing averages up to 12 months of use so summer bills don't spike. It smooths your bill; it doesn't lower your total. Your statement shows a deferred balance, the running difference between actual charges and the budget amount, which is settled if you leave, and your account needs a zero balance to join.
• Time-of-use rates charge about 26¢ per kWh on peak and about 9¢ off peak. They require a one-year commitment and can't be combined with Budget Billing, so they suit homes that can shift big loads, like pool pumps and EV charging, off peak.
• Solar. FPL credits exported solar at the full retail rate, so a system sized to your yearly use can cover nearly all of the energy part of your bill. Only the $30 minimum base bill stays.

Air conditioning drives most Florida summer bills; see replace your AC or go solar first and how your bill compares with the average electric bill in Florida.

If your roof can't take panels, compare FPL SolarTogether with rooftop solar.

Because FPL raises its rates over time, savings grow too: our estimates assume rates rise 2.5% a year. See how much solar costs in Florida, the FPL solar page or run your own bill through the savings calculator.