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UPDATE: The City Commission unanimously approved the increase on Nov. 17.
Your utility bill is likely to rise slightly in January.
For a typical household using 1,200 kilowatt hours, the proposed increase adds about $4.20 a month. The electric portion of the average bill — which includes the customer charge and base rate — will increase from $136.27 to $140.47.
The change goes to the City Commission for final approval at its meeting on Monday, Nov. 17.
The new rate would start Jan. 1 and stay in effect through February and March.
Why the increase?
Lakeland Electric adjusts the fuel rate — which it passes on to customers — quarterly based on market conditions.
On Friday, Nov. 14, the Utility Committee endorsed Lakeland Electric’s request to increase the rate from $43.50 to $47 per megawatt hour.
All of the commissioners sit on the Utility Committee, and all voted “yes.”
Even with the proposed increase, the charge remains below the five-year average of $49 per megawatt hour. It peaked at $75 in 2022.
Fuels Manager Sandra Ruede told the committee that liquid natural gas prices have been climbing for several reasons, including:
- The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war
- Tariffs
- Increased demand from Europe, where suppliers can charge more than twice what U.S. utilities pay
Ruede said winter weather is also a big variable.
Forecasters are predicting a mostly mild winter. However, periodic cold snaps, like Lakeland has experienced in the past few weeks, can affect electricity use.
Ruede noted the Farmer’s Almanac projection for 2025-26: “mostly mild with pockets of wild.”
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if they had stayed on Coal… our bills would probably be going down…. .Thanks for following the wacky left.
I agree with Timothy. Coal should’ve been kept. Propane is very volatile depending on the market. Lakeland Electric has always been the cash cow for the city. For those that use more than 1000KWH the bill will be much higher. The fuel charge on my bill is on average 62% of the bill less any taxes. My daughter owns a small townhouse and her fuel charge is on average 55% of the bill less any taxes. Something is wrong with that picture. No way should any fuel charge be that high of a portion of your bill but that is the cost of living in Lakeland.