FPL Increases Incentives for Installing Energy Efficient Equipment, Adds New Energy Conservation Programs for Customers

JUNO BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 15, 2006--

Incentives Help Customers Cut Cost of Energy Efficient Equipment Upgrades, Conserve Energy, Control Costs

“We are committed to partner with our customers any way we can to help them control their electric bills”

In an effort to help customers conserve energy and control electric bills, Florida Power & Light Company will soon offer additional programs and significantly increased incentives. FPL's new plan, approved today by the Florida Public Service Commission, demonstrates the company's commitment to partner with customers during this time of rising fuel costs.

Fuel costs, combined with increased summer usage, largely attributed to air conditioning, have caused many customers to experience increases in electric bills, that have been especially noticeable this season. The company plans to begin implementing the new initiatives before the end of the year.

"We are committed to partner with our customers any way we can to help them control their electric bills," said Marlene Santos, vice president of customer service for FPL. "We want to give customers every tool possible to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient."

The significant changes and additional programs are as follows:

-- Residential Building Envelope -- An increase in the maximum incentive for ceiling insulation will more than double from $131 to $352. An increase in the maximum incentive for reflective roofs increases more than 50 percent -- from $240 to $367 per participant. In addition, FPL added an incentive for light-colored roof membranes and reflective roof coatings with a maximum of $1,200 per participant.

-- Residential Low Income Weatherization -- There is an increase to the maximum incentive for air conditioning maintenance from $35 to $45 per participant. In addition, there is now an increase in the maximum incentive for weather stripping and caulking from $10 to $60. An additional $25 per participant was added for replacing room air conditioners with higher efficient units, further increasing incentives for this program.

-- Residential Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) -- Earlier this summer the PSC approved an increase in the incentive per participant for upgrading air conditioning units to more energy efficient equipment that will increase the average incentive more than 50 percent -- from $260 to $400. This change takes place Sept. 1.

-- Business Building Envelope -- The program now offers window-related technologies such as energy-saving window tinting as part of the business envelope program. Increased incentives for ceiling insulation ($185/kW max); roof insulation ($219/kW max); reflective roofs $(579/kW max); and window treatments ($429/kW max) add extra value for business customers.

-- Business Efficient Lighting -- Changing to more energy efficient hlighting will soon pay more. There is an increase in this business energy program incentive from $101/kW to $132/kW.

-- Business Water Heating program -- This new energy conservation program applies to the installation of qualifying heat recovery units or heat pump water heater equipment. The maximum incentive is $881/kW.

-- Business Refrigeration -- Refrigeration can be one of the largest users of electricity for a business customer. That's why FPL will offer this new program that pays a maximum of $80/kW for the installation of qualifying controls and equipment that reduces electric strip heater usage in refrigeration equipment.

-- Business HVAC -- Approved earlier this year, this program will soon offer updated minimum qualifying energy efficiency standards to reflect newer guidelines used by the U.S. Department of Energy Standards as well as raised and added incentives on qualifying HVAC systems. Business incentive programs such as the Direct Expansion (DX), chillers, energy recovery ventilators, thermal storage and more will offer large increases in incentives that will as much as double. The new guidelines take effect Sept. 1.

In addition to these newly-added or improved programs, FPL continues to offer residential duct system testing and repair, the BuildSmart(R) program for new homes built with energy efficient features and equipment, and residential energy conservation services such as online home energy surveys. Business customers are encouraged to continue to take advantage of business custom incentives, commercial demand reduction, and business energy evaluations.

For the past 25 years, Florida Power & Light Company and its customers have implemented one of the most successful conservation and energy management programs in the country. In 2005, the company invested more than $100 million on conservation programs and energy management incentives. According to the latest US Department of Energy (DOE) report on conservation programs, FPL was rated number one among utilities nationwide. FPL estimates that the electricity saved through these programs that were approved today would supply 188,000 homes with electricity during the summer peak usage period.

The rising cost of fuel used to make electricity at power plants has caused the fuel portion of customers' electric bills to rise 19 to 28 percent. The cost of fuel is a pass-through cost on which FPL does not make a profit. The base rate portion of the electric bill is the non-fuel cost of producing and delivering electricity. This has been reduced by 15 percent since 1999.

Customers are encouraged to learn all they can about conserving energy, installing energy efficient equipment in their homes and businesses and FPL's incentive programs by visiting http://www.FPL.com.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE:FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of more than $11 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.4 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's competitive energy subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at http://www.FPL.com, http://www.FPLGroup.com and http://www.FPLEnergy.com.

Editor's note: See FPL press release dated August 11, 2006 for a complete list of ongoing programs and services to help customers conserve energy and control electric bills at http://www.FPL.com/news.

Note to Editors: High-resolution logos and executive head shots are available for download at http://www.fpl.com/news/logos.shtml.