Florida Power & Light Co. customers will receive a one-time credit on their January electric bill, thanks to lower-than-projected natural gas and oil prices this year.

For the customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours a month, the refund will be $44, according to state calculations. The average FPL residential customer uses about 1,100 kilowatt hours a month.On Monday, the Florida Public Service Commission ordered Juno Beach-based FPL to refund $364.8 million in fuel surcharges. The amount of consumption will determine the refund for each customer, but the numbers have not yet been ``crunched'' except for the 1,000-kilowatt hour bill, FPL spokesman Mayco Villafaña said.

The decision came during a hearing Monday on FPL's request for $4.8 billion in fuel charges, environmental fees and other expenses for 2010. This year's fuel costs are $7.2 billion. The difference demonstrates the dramatic decrease in fuel prices worldwide.

The company makes no profit on the fuel it takes to run its power plants but passes those costs directly to customers.

PSC spokeswoman Bev DeMello said the amounts are still being determined. FPL also must pay interest on the $364.8 million.

The credit applies to all 4.45 million FPL customers, including residential, commercial and industrial.

Such refunds are normally spread out over 12 months, but the commission ordered the company to do a one-time credit for the full amount in January.

Utilities in Florida typically estimate their fuel costs once a year in August and the PSC approves them in November. If the projection is off by 10 percent either way, the company can file a fuel correction with the PSC.

``This is good news for the customer,'' Villafana said. The 1,000-kilowatt-hour customer's total bill is $109 a month and would be under $100 in January. With the $44 one-time credit, it will be even less.

The $4.8 billion for 2010 includes $3.9 billion for fuel, $577 million to buy power in times of high demand, $180 million for energy conservation programs for customers and $169 million for reducing environmental costs such as greenhouse gas emissions.

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