TAMPA -- Tampa Electric Company plans to ask the public service commission to allow the utility to recover the costs associated with building solar plants.
- TECO wants to cover costs of solar plants
- Utility to ask PSC to raise rates
- TECO customers may see bill increase of about $1
TECO wants to recoup costs for building solar a plant in Polk County and another in southern Hillsborough County. If approved by the PSC, customers will see an increase in their bills.
The hearing is taking place Tuesday afternoon in Tallahassee.
In November 2017, TECO officials met with the commission and committed to a cost cap, which essentially made sure the company builds new solar projects in a cost-effective manor.
During the next four years, TECO plans to build 10 solar facilities, including two that will total 600 megawatts of power - which the company says is enough to power more than 100,000 homes.
TECO customers could see bill changes as soon as September - if the PSC approve the request.
"Average residential customers will see about a dollar added to their bills in September," said Sylvia Vega with TECO. "But over the lifetime of these solar projects customers will actually see savings due to reduced fuel costs because using the sun as a fuel source is free."