Duke Energy Florida customers’ electric rates will drop in 2020

• Lower fuel costs will help reduce monthly residential bills by $4.69 per 1,000 kWh
• Solar facilities, additional grid enhancements will provide cleaner, more reliable energy for customers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Duke Energy Florida (DEF) customers will see lower bills in 2020.

The company plans to reduce Florida rates by more than 3% while adding more solar power and making grid improvements to enhance reliability, security and resilience in 2020 and beyond.

DEF has filed a proposal with the Florida Public Service Commission that demonstrates how the company is delivering on its promise to provide a cleaner, more resilient energy future.

The company is offering more value for customers through reduced fuel costs and investments in solar and smart-thinking technology.

Rates for 2020 will reflect the new Lake Placid and Trenton Solar Power Plants, grid improvements, grid reliability investments, and DEF’s annual fuel, capacity, energy conservation and environmental compliance clause financials.

If approved, typical residential customers using 1,000 kWh will see a decrease of $4.69 cents in their monthly bill beginning January 2020.

Commercial and industrial customers will see a decrease between 3% and 9%, however, the specific bill impact will vary depending on several factors.

“We know how important affordable energy is to our customers’ daily lives,” said Catherine Stempien, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We are proud to provide electricity at rates lower than the national average, while also making investments to increase the amount of energy we get from renewable sources, to enhance the security of our energy supply, and to bring new technologies to our Florida systems.”

Building A Smarter Energy Future®

Duke Energy Florida anticipates the Lake Placid Solar Power Plant in Highlands County, Fla. will be serving customers in December 2019. Once operational, the facility will be 45 megawatts (MWs) in size, which is enough to power more than 12,000 homes at peak production.

The Company also anticipates the Trenton Solar Power Plant in Gilchrist County, Fla. will begin serving customers in December 2019. Once operational, the facility will be 74.9 MWs, which is enough to power more than 23,000 homes at peak production. The Lake Placid and Trenton facilities are part of DEF’s plan to add 700 MWs of cost-effective solar in Florida through 2022.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns a diverse generation mix of natural gas, coal and renewables, providing about 10,200 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.8 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers’ experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit’s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2019 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, and Forbes’ 2019 “America’s Best Employers” list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center celebrates the ribbon cutting for Four Corners ER

DAVENPORT, FL (February 14, 2019) – Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 for the Four Corners ER. Set to open the first week of March, Four Corners ER is a new free-standing emergency department offering around-the-clock care.

Located on US 192 and tucked between US 27 and FL-429, the physical address for the new location is 14730 Bali Blvd., Winter Garden, FL 34787. Four Corners ER, a department of Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, is located in the Four Corners area and will serve residents in Orange, Osceola, Polk and Lake counties, one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S.

Four Corners ER is equipped to treat patients that need a higher level of care than what is offered at their primary care physician office or an urgent care center. It includes onsite radiology, including CT, x-ray and ultrasound, 10 exam rooms, board-certified emergency physicians and an on-site laboratory. The facility will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our board-certified physicians offer both adult and pediatric care. For our pediatric visitors and patients, a special wall feature in the waiting room is available for little ones to play while they wait. The wall is provided by LEGOLAND® Florida Resort. The wall has vivid colors, engaging pictures of children playing, and an interactive section to build on with LEGO blocks. Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center is the official medical sponsor of LEGOLAND® Florida Resort.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Ann Barnhart, CEO of Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, announced that when Four Corners ER opens, it will offer a 30-Minute ER Pledge to its patients. The pledge states that a medical professional (physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner) will work diligently to have patients initially seen within 30 minutes of noted arrival in the ER. “Every patients deserve timely, effective care,” said Barnhart, “which is important for good patient outcomes.”

As part of the opening celebrations, Four Corners ER is hosting a free Community Health Fair on Saturday, Feb. 16 from 10am-1pm and will be offering free health screenings and activities for children. As the Four Corners area continues to grow exponentially, its residents, visitors and businesses need quality healthcare options close by. Four Corners ER is proud to join the Four Corners community and begin seeing patients in the upcoming weeks. For more information or directions, visit FourCornersER.com.
About Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center

Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center believes in providing safe, high quality integrated healthcare and the best experience for our patients and our community. As a licensed 193-bed acute care hospital accredited by the Joint Commission, an accredited Chest Pain Center by the American College of Cardiology, and a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center puts quality health care front and center. For outpatient services, the hospital offers outpatient imaging, rehabilitation, laboratory services and an award-winning wound care center. Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center is associated with two urgent care centers, an occupational health program, an ambulatory surgery center and an employed physician group to better serve its community. To learn more about inpatient or outpatient services, community education, or to find a physician, visit www.HeartOfFlorida.com or call 866-997-DOCS. Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center is owned in part by physicians.

HOW TO PREVENT, PREPARE, RESPOND AND RECOVER IN THE FACE OF EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS

Natural disasters and other emergencies can happen at any time, and when they happen at school, everyone should be prepared to handle them safely and effectively. Administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students can work together to promote and maintain school-wide safety and minimize the effects of emergencies and other dangerous situations. This guide covers different ways everyone in the school community can prepare for various natural disasters and other emergencies to stay safe.

Read the full guide here: https://bit.ly/2DxxApR

Our January 2019 issue of our Emerging Haines City Newsletter is now available!

Keep up with us read: https://bit.ly/2R8mbCS

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to meet your future employer!

Wednesday, November 7, 2018
10:00am – 1:00pm
Lake Mirror Center Auditorium

Register today!

• Pre-register on employflorida.com or at a CareerSource Polk Career Center
• Bring plenty of resumes
• Dress for Success!

Click here for the flyer.

Culver’s is opening soon! We are excited to welcome Culver’s to the Haines City community.

Stay posted for updates, click here. 

Our September issue of our Emerging Haines City Newsletter is now available! Keep up with us read: https://bit.ly/2OfRG08

Polk State College is expanding its services in Northeast Polk County at Ridge Community High School, where the College will increase its afternoon, evening, and weekend courses for adults seeking Associate in Arts degrees.

Our community and greater Northeast Polk now has access to higher education right in our backyard! Starting on September 17, Polk State classes begin at Ridge Community High.

To read more and for more information, click here.

In 2005, the City of Haines City sought to bring new industry and create jobs right in their own backyard. A large area of industrial-zoned land in Haines City presented a unique opportunity to expand and develop already existing infrastructure. Partnering with CSX, a leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America, the city invested in building a new a rail spur. The rail spur now connects Industrial Park Haines City, FL to the main CSX line providing access to a larger transportation network.

The Haines City Economic Development Council (Haines City EDC) works closely with CSX in their partnership on the recruitment of rail served business to Haines City, Florida.  Our goal is to continue the growth of freight railroads on the rail network that connects businesses to the global supply chain.

Advocating and educating for the growth and expansion of railways in and around Haines City is important to the long-term economic infrastructure for Central Florida. Cyndi Jantomaso, Haines City EDC President, believes that “Rail access is a unique feature and added recruitment tool for businesses to come to Haines City.” Partnering with other organizations such as GoRail we are able to educate community leaders about the benefits of freight rail investments and building stronger rail networks.

Learn more about other rail developments:

The Haines City Economic Development Council stays up to date on the passenger rail discussions relating to SunRail’s Phase 2 expansion. There are significant hurdles to the extension of SunRail in Polk County, however, the 2035 Polk County Mobility Vision Plan envisions extending SunRail into Polk County. Stay in the loop: http://sunrail.com/

The newest people mover the Haines City Economic Development Council is following is with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies. The private operator of the high-speed rail system moving forward with their own Orlando-to-Miami Hyperloop proposal. Stay in the loop: https://hyperloop-one.com/

The Haines City Economic Development Council is spearheading conversation for the future development of a new north/south connector road. The Infrastructure Advisory & Stakeholder Committee hopes to improve road infrastructure and accessibility to Northeast Polk County and Central Florida.

Please contact Cyndi Jantomaso at 863-422-2525 or email cyndi@hainescityedc.com for more information.