Residents in the Keys can expect to see
lower energy bills, according to the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative and Keys
Energy Services, the two agencies that service energy to the keys. According to
the Electric Co-op, the decrease is due
in part from the fracking that is taking place across the country right
now. Fracking is a process which uses hydro-drills and injects fluid into the
ground at a high pressure to fracture shale rocks and release natural gas
within. This has resulted in a larger supply of natural gas for energy
consumption. Another reason prices have been dropping is the quieter storm seasons within the Gulf of Mexico over the last
few years, which is where we get a large amount of our natural gas supply.
According to Florida Power & Lights
(FPL), which provides the energy used by the Eclectic Co-op, energy bills for
those in the Upper Keys will begin to be lower
by $2.00, or a 1%, decrease from previous billing cycles, starting this
month. Lower Keys residents may see even more savings, as according to the Keys
Energy Service, costs have actually been in the negative for just over four
years now. Because of this, customers can expect to see a credit up to a 3.08% decrease in their bill.
These decreases are a direct result of
the higher use of natural gas as an
energy source. FLP reports 70% of
the energy it provides is from natural gas, with the remaining split
between nuclear energy at 22%, oil at 5%, and solar power at 3%. Similarly,
Keys Energy Services, which provides power from the Seven Mile Bridge outside
of Marathon to Key West, reports the energy it purchases from Florida Municipal
Power Agency is comprised of 82.3%
natural gas. The remaining energy sources through Florida Municipal include
coal at 7.9%, nuclear at 4.8%, and a mix of oil and renewable energy for the
last 5%. With the primary energy source for the Keys coming from natural gas, we
in the Keys will be seeing lower energy bills in 2015.
If you are in the market for a new home and looking at the
Key West area, my team and I are here to help you with all the processes
involved in finding the home of your dreams. Please contact me, Jimmy Lane, for all of your real estate needs.
Labels: Florida Keys Electric Cooperative, Florida Municipal Power Agency, Florida Power & Lights, jimmy lane, Keys Energy Services
