TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Power & Light’s proposed rate increase is taking another turn.
FPL had said the nearly $10 billion rate hike was necessary to accommodate the influx of people moving to Florida. However, a potential settlement could change that.
On Friday night, FPL and several business groups involved in the rate case — including Walmart, Wawa, Racetrac, the Florida Retail Federation and others — filed a motion to suspend a public hearing on the increase scheduled for Monday.
Absent from the motion were the state-appointed consumer advocate and other groups representing residents.
The Florida Office of Public Counsel sent a letter to the Florida Public Service Commission requesting that the hearing still take place.
Zayne Smith, senior advisor for advocacy with AARP Florida, said she fears that if the commission cancels the hearing and approves an undisclosed settlement, the public may never get a chance to weigh in — and rates could still go up.
“The problem with this is it doesn’t have to include everyone who is formally intervening in a rate case, and the decision is final,” Smith said. “It’s closed-door conversations. It keeps much of the record — the data, the evidence, the expert witness testimony, the financials and accounting of the utility company — secret.”
The public hearing is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m.
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