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• FPL expands its COVID-19 relief efforts for qualifying small businesses in 2021
• FPL continues to offer a range of relief options for all customers struggling with their electric bills due to COVID-19, including direct credits, payment extensions and waived fees for customers expressing hardship.
• Governmental assistance funding remains available for Floridians who need help paying their utility bills.
On Jan. 4, Florida Power & Light Company will begin accepting applications for its new Main Street Recovery Credit Program, offering credits to qualifying small businesses that have been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. FPL’s Main Street Recovery Credit Program is the latest of several initiatives, the total of which are valued at more than $75 million, that the company implemented to show its steadfast support of adversely impacted customers during the global pandemic.
Establishments in FPL’s service area that are eligible to apply for the program include:
• New small businesses
• Small businesses that were inactive for at least six consecutive months after March 2020
• Existing small businesses operating in federally designated Opportunity Zones in FPL’s service area
Qualifying small businesses would receive a monthly 10% credit based on the previous month’s energy charge portion of their electric bill for the duration of the program. The company will implement the FPL Main Street Recovery Credit Program for qualifying small businesses in January and offer bill credits through the end of 2021.
Recent studies show the pandemic’s toll on the state’s 2.7 million small businesses. Florida ranks fourth in the nation for business closures with 5,300 permanent closures and 3,300 temporary closures, according to a Yelp economic report. A recent survey of more than 4,800 Florida small businesses conducted by the Florida Chamber Foundation found that:
• More than half of businesses either voluntarily closed or were forced to close
• More than 30% suspended operations during the survey
• More than 45% expressed concern about their ability to operate in the future
“We know that COVID-19’s unpredictability and disruptiveness has made life very difficult for all Floridians, so we are continuing to work hard to find innovative ways to help our customers get through this challenging time,” said FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy. “This new initiative will help alleviate some of the financial pressure facing our small businesses and independent stores that make up the fabric of our communities. We’re committed to helping Florida get back up on her feet and this program is one more way FPL is helping to rebuild our economy and move the state forward.”
Interested businesses can visit FPL.com/MainStreetRecovery to fill out an application to determine if they qualify for the program.
Unwavering commitment to supporting customers
FPL’s plan to assist small businesses is another example of direct relief that the company is providing customers in response to COVID-19, including those customers significantly behind on their bills.
Last month, FPL donated $15 million to help approximately 55,000 residential customers who receive federal assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or the Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP).
These customers will receive credits on their monthly electric bill through December 2021.
In mid-March, FPL immediately began offering payment extensions and waiving late fees for customers experiencing hardship due to the pandemic, policies that remain in effect.
During that time, the company also suspended disconnections for nonpayment and continued doing so for more than six months. Through a careful and measured approach, FPL resumed issuing final notices in September. To date, approximately 75% of customers who have received a final notice and passed their due date for payment have worked with FPL to make a payment arrangement and avoid disconnection for nonpayment. For those customers who were disconnected, more than 80% were reconnected within 24 hours following payment of their past due balance.
In addition, FPL issued more than $15 million in bill credits to more than 112,000 residential and small business customers based on the status of their account and how long the account has been past due. The FPSC unanimously approved FPL’s plan to accelerate deposit refunds to eligible residential customers who have paid on time and in full for the last 12 months.
FPL’s Care to Share Program, a donation-based effort which also provides bill payment assistance to customers, recently reached approximately $5 million in contributions, including more than $3 million from shareholders of NextEra Energy, FPL’s parent company.
FPL is working to enhance the program, offering customers who pay electronically opportunities to contribute set monthly amounts, one-time donations or the option to round up their bill to the nearest dollar as a voluntary contribution.
Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest energy company in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold, serving more than 5.1 million customer accounts or an estimated 10 million+ people across the state of Florida. FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30% lower than the latest national average and among the lowest in the U.S. FPL’s service reliability is better than 99.98%, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all electric companies nationwide. The company was recognized in 2019 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the sixth consecutive year. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,900 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2020 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of Gulf Power Company, which serves more than 470,000 customers in eight counties throughout northwest Florida, and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage.
For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
