City of Gulf Breeze Natural Gas

Natural Gas Generators

The best intentions of mice and men ….

Shortly after hurricane Ivan the City Council asked the City staff to explore ways to help Gulf Breeze residents acquire generators, if they so desired.

Initially, the staff evaluated a number of fuel types and brands of generators and concluded that the City should focus on Generac brand generators that use natural gas. The reasoning for this conclusion is straight-forward: using natural gas (which service has never been interrupted by storm or hurricane) would have enabled continuous operation despite the gasoline outages we experienced. And, Generac is the largest selling home generator brand in the US, which meant ease of finding qualified maintenance and repair personnel and parts.

The staff also began investigating the prospect of the City financing the generators, with payments accompanying utility bills. In order to assess the desirability of such a program, a news story was released and anyone inquiring about the program received a follow up letter with an overview of how we hoped the plan would work. We got deluged with inquiries. Many, many more than we were set up to handle. Secondly, we encountered the complexities of the consumer credit business (which effectively would have required the city to become a mortgage issuer).

We re-assessed and decided to become more of a facilitator than an active intermediary. The City has done some of the research for you to find favorable generator suppliers and financing sources, but the City is not actively involved in either supplying the generators nor the financing.

THE CITY MAY HAVE OR HAVE HAD COMMERCIAL DEALINGS WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES. INCLUSION ON THE LIST BELOW RESULTS STRICTLY FROM A LIMITED INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIVE PRICES / COSTS REPRESENTED FOR THE NATURAL GAS PROGRAM.

The City urges all residents to make responsible and informed purchase decisions. Let the businesses know that you are a Gulf Breeze resident and interested in the ‘Generator Program’.

GENERATORS
City Electric 453-5551

Other Generac Brand Suppliers / Installers: Okaloosa Gas 654-3113, Barnes Electric 438-1715 x22, Home Depot / Lowes

FINANCING
Compass Bank (Tim) 857-5053
Suntrust Bank (Michelle) 916-4456

GAS SERVICE
Gulf Breeze Natural Gas 934-5108

FAQ’s on generators

Q: How much will a generator cost?
A: The cost will vary with how much power the unit must supply and how involved the installation of the unit will be. The primary cost components will be : the generator; an automatic transfer switch; a gas line to the generator; installing the electric lines and the automatic transfer switch. It is not unusual for the generator to represent only 50% of the costs.

Q: Where can I learn more about Generac generators?
A: The Generac Generator Website

Q: I’m a renter, can I take advantage of this program?
A: You should discuss this with your landlord. Installing a generator of this type may inure to the benefit of your landlord, and you may not be allowed to remove it.

Q: I’m interested in a generator for my business, does that qualify?

A: As long as you own the real estate you operate from.

Q: I heard that they shut off the gas in hurricanes to prevent gas leaks. Is that true?
A: No. Gulf Breeze Natural Gas has never had a system wide shut down in its history, even during hurricanes. The natural gas pipelines travel underwater, not underneath bridges.

Q: I don’t have natural gas, can I get hooked up and a generator?
A: Call Gulf Breeze Natural Gas at 934-5108. They can help you determine what options you may have.

Q: Do I have to live in Gulf Breeze proper to qualify?
A: Any homeowner served by Gulf Breeze Natural Gas (or in an area served by Gulf Breeze Natural Gas if you don’t currently have service) is eligible. The service area generally extends from Midway area west, but if you do not have service currently, you should contact Gulf Breeze Natural Gas to determine when service may be available to you. In some subdivisions there may be significant delays to obtain service.

Q: What if I decide to sell my house? Can I take my generator?
A: Whether you include a back up generator as part of the sale of your house is up to you and your buyer.

Q: Can I install a different brand of generator?
A: The City does not have ordinances that require specific brands of generator. We strongly recommend that any generator be professionally installed both for your safety and for the safety of Gulf Power line workers.

Q: How do I know what size is right for my house?
A: One of the services that City Electric provides as part of this program is to size a generator for your house. Typically, a generator is sized so that at “full load” (that is, start up of your current major electrical appliances and air conditioning at the same time) represents about 80% of the generator’s capacity. In this way as you expand the load in your house (by adding bigger refrigerators, computers, TV, stereos, electric pencil sharpeners, etc., etc.) your generator should be fully capable of supporting your needs.

Q: How does the generator start if the power is off, is there a pull cord?
A: The generators start automatically shortly after it senses a power outage. This is accomplished by the utilization of an automatic transfer switch as part of the generator package. A battery similar to a car battery provides the power for starting the generator; you don’t even have to be home.

Q: Will my generator provide continuous power in a storm?
A: Your generator will continue to operate as long as it senses that no power is coming in from the power company. There will be a brief interruption (up to 90 seconds) between when your power goes out and the generator is ready to take over the electrical load of the house. If you need truly uninterrupted power for some portion of your house, you may need a battery backup system.

Q: How can I be assured that my generator is in working condition?
A: The generators automatically “exercise” themselves for about five minutes weekly to ensure they start and run without problems.

Copyright © 2001, City of Gulf Breeze, Florida. All Rights Reserved.

City of Gulf Breeze
1070 Shoreline Dr.
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
(850) 934-5100