MARCO ISLAND, Fla. - A Southwest Florida city wants to lower the electric bills for people living there while increasing the amount of revenue.

Marco Island is looking into the possibility of buying the electric company.

Ray Portal says the average monthly electric bill for his Marco Island home is $180.

"I think everybody in this country wants to bring prices down, considerably, rather quickly," he said.

And that's what city officials hope will happen if the city buys the electric utility.

"We're looking at reducing our expenses, we're looking at diversifying the city's revenues and we're looking at everything that's out there," Steve Thompson, Marco Island City manager, said.

34 other cities in Florida have already purchased their electric utilities.

"Some of these are among the lowest rates in the state and other have used that to underground and provide street lights and all that."

But the question is, will Marco residents experience the same savings. In 2003, Marco did a similar buyout with the island's water and sewer services.

"If it worked for the water, why not do the same thing for the electric company," Maria Hayden, a Marco resident, said.

"Anything that brings prices down with the energy side. It'd be great, if that's what it did for the water, you know, the water side," Portal said.

But right now, it's all in the study phase and the future of municipal energy is clouded with questions.

"If the study comes back that it's not going to save all of us money and have great things that it'll do for this community, then why look at it," Thompson said.

Thompson said the city also wants to know if a buyout can provide enough revenue to move remaining overhead lines, underground.

The first committee meeting is scheduled for August.

For more information, go to: http://www.cityofmarcoisland.com/Public_Documents/MarcoIslandFL_PIO/muni