SECO Energy Champions Relief for Members Following Record Summer Heatwave

After an extreme summer heatwave drove record energy use across Central Florida, SECO Energy is championing two sources of bill payment relief for eligible members in the coming months. 

Through a partnership with FloridaCommerce, SECO will deliver payment assistance funded by the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The federal program assists income-qualified households with energy costs. Typically, members must apply to receive LIHEAP support, but thanks to this partnership, qualifying member accounts will automatically receive federal energy assistance credit on their SECO electric bill – no application required.  

At the same time, SECO’s Board of Trustees has approved a significant change to its residential deposit policy. Beginning in October, residential members who paid a deposit when opening an account and have completed 24 consecutive months of excellent payment history will automatically have their deposit credited back to their bill – no request needed. Only accounts that meet these criteria are eligible for the automatic deposit refund.  

“Members are at the heart of every decision we make, “said Curtis Wynn, SECO Energy CEO. “This summer’s record heat has strained household budgets, and we wanted to act quickly. Thanks to our partnership with FloridaCommerce, qualifying accounts will receive automatic LIHEAP credit. And looking ahead, our deposit return policy rewards members who have consistently paid on time. Although we cannot help every member with these two initiatives, a considerable number of members meet the requirements.” 

“This change reflects our commitment to putting members first,” said Gerald Anderson, President of SECO Energy’s Board of Trustees. “After this summer’s extreme heat, we wanted to find tangible relief for those eligible for a deposit refund and thank them for their loyalty and good payment history.” 

District 6 Trustee Mike Muffett, an early advocate for automatically refunding member deposits, shared, “We know our members work hard, and many have been stretched thin. These steps show that SECO is their trusted energy provider, especially in challenging times.” 

Both initiatives highlight the cooperative difference: being not-for-profit, member-owned and committed to strengthening community while putting members’ needs first.  

There is no action required from SECO members to benefit from these initiatives.  Qualifying accounts will automatically receive LIHEAP credits, and eligible deposit refunds will be applied beginning in October.  Members can review SECO’s Rate Tariff for full details on deposit requirements.