TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved charging utility customers for restoring power after 2024’s hurricanes — even as commissioners struggled with the idea of raising bills.
Details: The PSC unanimously approved charging Duke Energy Florida customers $1.1 billion and Tampa Electric Co. customers $464 million for restoration after hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
The commission approved charging the average TECO residential customer $19.95 per month for 18 months. That represents a reduction from TECO’s request to charge customers more than $30 per month over 12 months.
“I recognize that’s still going to be hard either way,” Commissioner Andrew Giles Fay said. “There isn’t a good answer to it, but I do think it does adjust that impact significantly.”