Florida Public Utilities Budget Billing
Weather, fuel costs, new appliances and a variety of other factors can cause your FPU bill to fluctuate during the year. Budget Billing allows you to stabilize your monthly energy costs by paying the same amount each month — preventing spikes in your bill. Enroll in Budget Billing today!
To request an application, please contact the appropriate Customer Care Team.
Natural Gas / Electric Customers, please call 800.427.7712.
Propane Customers, click here to learn more about our Easy Pay Budget Plan.
How Budget Billing is Calculated
- FPU will calculate your monthly energy cost by averaging the amounts of your last 12 energy bills:
- The budget amounts will only be calculated on your Energy Charges. The non-regulated charges or fixed charges will be in addition to your budget amount. Fixed charges are reoccurring fees and include HomeServe, Warranty Programs and Light-Pole charges.
- Your monthly total will include your budget amount plus any non-energy charges. For example, if your budget amount is $50.00 and your HomeServe or warranty plan is $5.95, your total billed amount, less any taxes, would be $55.95.
- The average total will be increased to account for energy cost inflation
- The only time your monthly amount may differ is if you received service work during the previous billing cycle or specific circumstances cause your amount to be re-budgeted
Reviews of Customer Accounts
- On a semi-annual basis, FPU will review your Budget Billing account to ensure that monthly budget payments are not drastically over or under stated
- If you have a 10% variance of your current budgeted amount, your account will be recalculated and the revised Budget Billing amount will be assessed
- On an annual basis, FPU will evaluate accounts on Budget Billing. Customers will NOT have to ‘true up’ the difference between the actual accounts and the amount paid through Budget Billing
- Any differences will be rolled into the next year’s recalculated monthly billing amount in the form of either a debit or a credit
Enrollment Details
- Residential customers need to establish year-round service with FPU for at least 12 months—with a zero balance—in order to enroll
- This program is only available to residential customers, who can enroll at any time after the initial 12 months of service
- New Budget Billing accounts will become effective on the first of the month following enrollment
- If you are not satisfied with Budget Billing, you can discontinue the service at any time. (FPU recommends that you stay in the program for at least 12 months to understand the true benefit of Budget Billing throughout the seasons)
- Any Budget Billing account that becomes subject to collection action will be automatically removed from the program
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How is my budget amount calculated?
Budget amounts are calculated by averaging the amounts of the last 12 bills’ energy usage. Any fixed charges are in addition to the budget amount.
Why is there a separate HomeServe charge on my bill?
All non-regulated charges are not rolled up into the budget amount and will show as a separate charge on your bill.
Why is there a separate Lights-Pole charge on my bill?
All non-regulated charges are not rolled up into the budget amount and will show as a separate charge on your bill.
What is a fixed charge?
Fixed charges are reoccurring charges for additional services. These include HomeServe and Light-Pole charges.
Why is my bill amount higher than what was budgeted?
Your monthly bill amount will increase by the fixed charge that is billed on the account.
What would cause my budget amount to increase?
It will increase if you are charged for a deposit, Merchandise, or Labor during the previous billing cycle, or your account went through a review cycle and your budget amount was adjusted.
Can I cancel budget billing at any time?
If you are not satisfied with Budget Billing, you can discontinue the service at any time. We do recommend that you stay in the program for at least 12 months to understand the true benefit of Budget Billing throughout the seasons.
If I sign up for budget billing, when will it become effective?
New Budget Billing accounts will become effective on the first of the month following enrollment.
What is the benefit of Budget Billing?
Budget Billing can stabilize your monthly energy costs and allow you to pay the same amount each month.
How often does FPU review my Budget Billing amount?
On a semi-annual basis, FPU will review your Budget Billing account to ensure that monthly budget payments are not drastically over- or under-stated.
Why will my budgeted amount be recalculated?
If you have a 10% variance of your current budgeted amount, your account will be recalculated and the revised Budget Billing amount will be assessed.
Is there an account ‘true up’?
On an annual basis, FPU will evaluate accounts on Budget Billing. Customers will NOT have to ‘true up’ the difference between the actual accounts and the amount paid through Budget Billing. Any differences will be rolled into the next year’s recalculated monthly billing amount in the form of either a debit or a credit.
