FPL Strongly Opposes Advocacy Group’s Rate Counterproposal As ‘Illusory And Unenforceable’

Florida Power & Light is strongly opposing rate proposal made by consumer advocacy groups, calling a proposal by the Office of Public Counsel “illusory and unenforceable” and pushing the Florida Public Service Commission to reject it.

The Florida Office of Public Counsel, created by the legislature in 1974 to represent the people in utility matters, objected to a proposed FPL rate, asserting that would increase FPL’s revenues by an “unconscionable” amount.

As we previously reported , FPL and 10 key stakeholder groups filed a comprehensive four-year rate settlement agreement with state regulators . The proposed  agreement reduces FPL’s original revenue request by nearly one-third.

Public Counsel Walt Trierweiler described the stakeholders that agreed to the settlement as a “minority coalition of very large customers” and said the “majority of FPL’s customers will see significantly increased” bills. FPL said the four-year settlement would result in increased revenues of $945 million in 2026 and $766 million in 2027, with additional amounts in 2028 for battery storage and solar projects.
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The Office of Public Counsel said in the letter that the proposal would cumulatively increase FPL revenues  by $6.753 billion through 2029.

FPL was quick to file a response with the PSC.

“Simply put, what the movants (the Office of Public Counsel and the four groups) have filed is not a settlement at all,” FPL attorneys wrote in a 14-page response. “Calling the documents that the movants filed a settlement defies general common sense; walks dangerously close to a bad faith filing from a legal perspective; and, at best, is a ham-handed media stunt that attempts to turn this proceeding into a circus.”

The PSC is schedule to hear the rate case in October.