Pensacola Energy Acquiring Okaloosa Gas Customers In Molino, Cantonment, Cottage Hill

August 11, 2020

Pensacola Energy is in the process of acquiring Okaloosa Gas natural gas customers in Escambia County.

Pensacola Energy is offering $427,748 plus the assumption of assumed liabilities for about 186 customers, an amount determined by a consulting company hired by the city. The customers are located in six small areas in Molino, Cottage Hill and in part of Cantonment including small sections of Jacks Branch Road, West Kingsfield Road and Neal Road.

Pensacola Energy and Okaloosa Gas District both provide service in the area, “creating the likelihood of customer confusion concerning the appropriate service provider for emergencies and routine service requests,” RBC Resources found.

Okaloosa Gas District does not hold a franchise within Escambia County to provide utility service. New homes and businesses in the area could not be served by Okaloosa Gas District and unless infrastructure was duplicated, residents would go without essential utility services.

“Pensacola Energy’s existing assets in the vicinity will facilitate safe and reliable public services that will be enhanced through shorter response times for emergencies and other requirements,” according to RBC.

At the time of RBC report to Pensacola Energy in early March, Okaloosa Gas had 167 residential and eight small commercial customers with active accounts that generated approximately $67,641 in annual revenue. From public data available, the consulting company also determined that annual operating and maintenance expense for these customers was approximately $13,520. A 10-year net revenue calculation, including an allowance for growth, was the $427,478 purchase price.

If Pensacola Energy duplicated service in the area, it would cost an estimated $532,763.

Impacted customers will receive a letter from Okaloosa Gas explaining a six-month transition process.

“Details are still being worked out, but Okaloosa customers should not see a significant change in their billing.,” Pensacola spokesperson Kaycee Lagarde told NorthEscambia.com.

Okaloosa Gas customers with questions can contact the company at (850) 729-4700.

Click map below to enlarge.

Comments

6 Responses to “Pensacola Energy Acquiring Okaloosa Gas Customers In Molino, Cantonment, Cottage Hill”

  1. What you can do... on August 15th, 2020 9:45 am

    Obviously, by looking at their website, Okaloosa Gas is concentrating it’s expansion efforts in Santa Rosa County. Escambia County is not part of its future plan.

    Writer #2 is referring to the “Energy Choice” utility model. I would not count on that being widely available in the current political climate.

    Writer #5 refers to FP&L “taking over” Gulf Power. Southern Company sold Gulf Power to FP&L’s parent company to generate revenue for SO’s debt load.

    As for high energy cost burdens, households and businesses need to do some thinking about energy resources on their own properties, and do some math. Conservation is always a starting point. Better High E windows. Shading with awnings and trees. Attic insulation. Doors.

    Next, appliances. High SEER HVAC units. Geothermal. Hybrid electric water heating.

    And grand scale. Solar panels. Use of attic heat, particularly with hybrid water heaters.

    New homes should consider all of the above in the design and lot placement stages.

    Fossil fuel and all commercial energy sourcing will only continue to rise in price. Ask yourself, “How do I better manage the energy that is present on my own property?”, and come up with your own short- and long-term energy plan. Over the long haul, you’ll save a lot of money. And I’m speaking from experience.

  2. Mike O'Farrell on August 11th, 2020 5:42 pm

    Gulf Power taken over by Florida Power and Light and now customer service no longer exists in any workable form. Now Okaloosa Gas by Pensacola Energy. In every case, we, the consumer, come up the loser. Like many, I am hot happy. specially since there is absolutely nothing that I can do about it.

  3. Trisha on August 11th, 2020 1:51 pm

    I hate this! By making me change to Pensacola Energy my bill will now triple. I changed years ago from Okaloosa Gas to ESP because of my husband. It lasted four months and I switched back to Okaloosa. So people get ready to open your wallet. If your gas bill is currently $15 because you are not using gas then it will probably go up to $40. When it gets cold, instead of having a $80 heating bill it will be $180.

  4. Tom on August 11th, 2020 11:36 am

    (Jason) You raise a very good point about our current situation in this county. If I want Internet that’s not satellite it’s Frontier, If I want Electric its EREC, You see where I’m going with this. In some States and heck most other countries for that matter, the infrastructure is placed and kept up by the government, now get this they then allow lots of power companies internet companies etc to use this infrastructure for a fee that goes towards the up keep of it. Thus allowing lots of companies to just share the same lines and pipes and compete against each other for your business. Isn’t that just the most coolest thing? Wish we had a system like that here…

  5. CHA CHING!!! on August 11th, 2020 8:36 am

    Well well well…. Customers; prepare to pay more in fees and taxes. 21 years of experience here talking

  6. Jason on August 11th, 2020 2:53 am

    I feel for those customers being acquired by Pensacola Energy. I hate the fact the Pensacola Energy holds the monopoly in Escambia County for gas. They gouge customers for every penny. They are not opposed to sending an “estimated” bill with substantial estimated usage and then basically telling the customer “oh well, either pay the bill or have your service cut-off”. I know, been there – full experience.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News