During our March 31, 2025, Board of Trustee meeting, SECO leadership approved a 9.17% total system increase in member rates. This decision follows a recent comprehensive cost-of-service study that included a routine analysis of plant facilities, expenses, financial forecasts, and revenue requirements. The study indicated that the current rate structure needs to be updated to align with our growing membership and rising operational expenses.

This adjustment will go into effect on May 1, 2025, pending approval by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). For households consuming an average of 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month, this will equate to an increase of approximately $10 – $12 per month. Please review our FAQs below.

Since our inception in 1938, one consistent theme that has rung true for SECO Energy and the communities we serve has been growth. As our service areas have expanded, our charge has been to uphold our mission of providing reliable and innovative energy services, while upholding our core values.

“Growth and rising costs have been a constant for us over the past several years,” said SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn. “As our region continues to grow, we are making significant investments in our facilities infrastructure to ensure the reliability and sustainability of our electric service.”

Over the past 25 years, the number of members we serve has grown from 100,000 to over a quarter million. As a not-for-profit cooperative, SECO prioritizes financial responsibility and member value. Smart, responsible growth and system maintenance require substantial capital investment in grid enhancements which include new substations, transmission lines, and distribution networks to maintain reliable service.  SECO now adds roughly 1,500 new accounts per month.

While rate adjustments are never taken lightly, they are necessary to ensure the continuous reliable service our members expect. As a not-for-profit organization, SECO doesn’t make these decisions to benefit distant shareholders – we make them to secure the future of the cooperative that belongs to you, our members.

Since the United States government signed the Rural Electrification Act (REA) into law in 1935, rural areas around the country have been able to gain access to electricity. In 1938, Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc. (d.b.a. SECO Energy) turned on the lights for approximately 400 rural farms near Webster, FL. Today, we’ve grown from a rural farming community to a thriving area in the nation’s fastest-growing region, continually adapting to meet growing demand while maintaining our commitment to reliable energy services.

“Over the past 87 years, SECO Energy has grown alongside our communities, consistently adjusting to meet growing demand for our service,” said Wynn. “As we’ve added new members, we’ve expanded our infrastructure, upgraded technology, and enhanced service reliability to support both existing and new members – and as our membership continues to grow, we will keep investing responsibly in our cooperative.”

We appreciate our members’ understanding and support as we continue investing in a strong, resilient electric system for the future.