Applications now open for Mount Dora's community solar program

MOUNT DORA, Fla. - Two solar farms in Mount Dora are ready to provide power to at least 500 homes.  

"This allows everybody who wants to take part in solar and using the sun of Florida to power their house," Mayor Crissy Stile said Wednesday. 

Starting Dec. 1, Mount Dora Electric Utility customers who want to go solar can do so without investing in and installing their own panels. 

"What we'll do is just be able to use what we've built right here to be able to save customers money," Stile said.

The voluntary program is on a first-come-first-serve basis, and customers will be able to choose whether to power their homes with 25%, 50%, or 100% solar energy.

"As we plan for the future when we're uncertain as to what could happen to natural gas prices, which is what affects our electric utility rates, people that are on solar are going to see that kind of flat bill throughout," Stile said.

But customers who sign up for this program will not see any cost savings at first, she says because natural gas prices are low right now. In fact, the electric bill of an average home could go up by around $5, which covers the solar adjustment fee. 

"But in the future, as [natural gas prices] rise and they do, of course, always fluctuate and increase, those of our customers who don't sign up for the community solar program will see the fluctuation in their utility bill based on the natural gas prices," she said. "Those of us who do sign up for the community solar program will not see that fluctuation in our bills, and that's when the cost-benefit of solar will kick in."

The application to sign up is already on the City of Mount Dora website. You must be a customer of Mount Dora Electric Utility to qualify for approval. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, the city has received at least 10 applications.