Halfway through the year, the city of Alachua is holding steady with the lowest residential electric rates in the state of Florida. 

A Florida Municipal Electric Association monthly study shows that Alachua has maintained the lowest rates in 1,000 kWh and 1,200 kWh residential bills every month, and most of the time in the 2,500 kWh bills. 

Mayor Gib Coerper said city employees thought outside the box to make the low rates happen. 
 
“We built a high-tech Switching station at I-75 on our Legacy property that gave us access to opportunities up and down I-75,” Coerper wrote in a text statement. “We changed our eastern switching station feed to FPL we are constantly improving our equipment to better serve the community… If you stop thinking ‘how can we be better’ you stop moving forward.” 

In February and March, Bartow jumped to first place in the 2,500 kWh category, but since April, Alachua has held the lowest rates in all three residential categories. 

Alachua has also held the lowest rates in commercial non-demand 750 kWh and non-demand 1,500 kWh since March, battling back and forth with Mount Dora for other commercial and industrial bill rates. 

Alachua’s streak started in December 2023, after a year dominated mainly by Williston and Moore Haven battling for the first-place slot.