Glossary
Minimum charge
The minimum charge is the fixed amount FPL, Duke or TECO bill every month to keep your home connected to the grid, no matter how much you use. With solar energy and net metering, the bill drops to that floor, not to zero. That is why nobody serious promises you a $0 bill.
What the minimum charge is
Your bill has two parts: what you consume in kWh and what you pay for having the service available. The second part is the minimum charge (it may appear as “customer charge” or “base charge”). It covers the meter, the line to your house, meter reading and grid maintenance. It is billed the same whether you use a lot, a little or nothing.
Each Florida utility sets its own and reviews it before the Public Service Commission. The exact amount is printed on your bill; find it before believing any savings promise.
Why it matters in Florida
With net metering, a well-sized solar system can cover all of your kWh consumption. But the minimum charge keeps coming every month. That is the real floor for a home with solar energy.
That is why the My Home Solutions solar energy subscription does not promise a $0 bill. What it guarantees in writing is that you save at least 30% on your total bill, with the minimum charge already built into the math. Anyone promising you zero dollars is either misleading you or has not read your bill.
Common mistake
Subtracting the minimum charge wrong, or not subtracting it at all. If your bill is $200 and the minimum charge is some fraction of that, the most solar can save you is $200 minus that charge, not the full $200. Proposals that calculate savings on the whole bill inflate the result. We show you how to read that line in the utility minimum charge explained.
Full guide: The utility minimum charge in Florida: why your bill never reaches $0 →
Updated