Officials outraged at SECO rate hikes to be paid by residents

Officials are outraged at rate hikes announced by SECO Energy.

The SECO rate increases were a hot topic at Monday’s Project Wide Advisory Committee at SeaBreeze Recreation Center. SECO has blamed much of the increase on the conversion to LED technology.

SECO has also warned it will also enact a “more substantial increase” in pole rental costs for lighting that will go into effect in October of this year.

“That is outrageous. This increase is going to be phenomenal,” said PWAC member Jerry Vicenti.

Assistant District Manager Bruce Brown said District officials had addressed the rate increases with SECO.

“Trust me. We pushed back on the same issue. These are astronomical increases,” Brown said.

The energy cooperative, headquartered in Sumterville, serves more than 240,000 homes and businesses in seven Central Florida counties, including 62,000 families and commercial accounts in The Villages.

“I don’t know who regulates SECO, but if it was another state, there would be an investigation,” Vicenti said. “I guess it’s time to start going to SECO meetings.”

PWAC member Dan Ruehl said a SECO meeting is set for June 11.

PWAC member Peter Moeller noted that community development districts will likely see the greatest impact of the SECO rate increase. His board, the Community Development District 6 Board of Supervisors, will meet at 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 7 at SeaBreeze Recreation Center.