WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following is a statement from Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), on Gulf Power’s effort to impose demand charges on its customers:

Florida voters, among whom are Gulf Power ratepayers, made it very clear on election day that they do not want their utilities imposing additional fees and demand charges that have the effect of eliminating customer choice. New fees, such as Gulf Power’s proposed mandatory residential demand charge, have been widely rejected by state regulators across the country, and the reason is that they increase ratepayers fixed monthly costs.

Charging based on electricity use allows customers to save money by reducing consumption. Higher fixed charges and residential demand charges don’t do a good job of aligning customer behavior with the grid’s needs and reduce the opportunity for customers to save money by going solar.  We should be doing just the opposite in the Sunshine State. There are other approaches that are fair to utilities, customers and solar providers alike, but this isn’t one of them.

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About SEIA®:

Celebrating its 43rd anniversary in 2017, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.

Media Contact:

Alex Hobson, SEIA Senior Communications Manager, [email protected] (202) 556-2886