Let's Talk FPL Rate Options

[aviators99]

I was just wondering if the consumer would have to pay the cost for that, or if FPL would.

[Larry Chanin]

I was assuming the Time Of Use option doesn't require any special equipment supplied by the consumer?

10 days ago I emailed FPL asking them if they needed to do anything to my electric service to accommodate an electric car with a 20 kW charger. I have yet to hear back from them. Perhaps when I get an opportunity I'll call them to try to get an answer to my question as well as other EV related questions.


Nigel and I have been somewhat critical of FPL in their lackluster support of electric vehicles. Here's a couple of postings:

How should we be talking to the public about electric driving?Posting #13

Here in Florida I get the general impression that our utilities are indifferent to promoting plug-in vehicles. If they were interested why wouldn't they implement time of use rates? Maybe I'm naive, but if they were seriously interested in promoting plug-ins wouldn't this be a no-brainer by permitting them to take advantage of off-peak capacity?

Note: I was referring to a special EV tou rates like used in other states.
Example: DOMESTIC TIME-OF-USE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

Note that Southern California Edison requires the customer to supply all equipment to separately meter the EV load.

Larry

[aviators99]

Yeah, I had horrible time trying to get info from FPL yesterday, even without mentioning EVs. The supervisor couldn't understand basic English, and I think English was his native language.

[DavidM]

Several months ago I spent a lot of time trying to find out what would be required for FPL to measure and bill for "time of use". Basically, you have to purchase their "time of use" meter for several hundred dollars. I assume you also have to pay for installation. Subsequently, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth pursuing since I'll only be paying about $40 more per month to charge my Model S. The payback on rates would be 3 or 4 years, and would be tied to my current house, unless I take the meter when I move.

I'll wait for FPL to come out with a cheaper "time of use" meter, or meter add-on device. And yes, their telephone personnel could not even explain the current rates.

[aviators99]

Several months ago I spent a lot of time trying to find out what would be required for FPL to measure and bill for "time of use". Basically, you have to purchase their "time of use" meter for several hundred dollars. I assume you also have to pay for installation. Subsequently, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth pursuing since I'll only be paying about $40 more per month to charge my Model S. The payback on rates would be 3 or 4 years, and would be tied to my current house, unless I take the meter when I move.

I'll wait for FPL to come out with a cheaper "time of use" meter, or meter add-on device. And yes, their telephone personnel could not even explain the current rates.

That sucks, indeed. I'm still interested, though. I've only lived in my current house for a year, and my electric bills have been between $650-$750, and I think much of it could be moved to off-peak (pool heater, etc.), so it's not just the car. Do you have an understanding of what the rates would be? Is what I listed above, in conjunction with ItsNotAboutTheMoney's updates, correct?