Legislative/Regulatory

With memories of massive outages after Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Michael and other storms, state lawmakers Thursday gave final approval to a bill that could lead to an expansion of underground power lines. The Senate voted 39-1 to pass the measure Thursday, a day after the House signed off in a... Continue Reading

The state Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously approved a regulatory decision that allowed Florida Power & Light to pass along costs to customers for an environmental clean-up project in Miami-Dade County. Justices sided with the Florida Public Service Commission, which in December 2017... Continue Reading

A proposal that could spur more underground power lines in Florida continued moving forward Thursday, with the issue now ready to go to the full House and Senate. The House Commerce Committee unanimously approved the House version (HB 797), which would create a new process for utilities to pass... Continue Reading

After hurricanes during the past three years knocked out electricity for millions of Floridians, lawmakers are moving forward with regulatory changes that could lead to more underground power lines. But it would come at a cost. A House panel approved a bill (HB 797) that would create a new process... Continue Reading

With no questions, the Senate Innovation, Industry and Technology Committee supported the confirmations of Florida Public Service Commission members Julie Brown and Gary Clark. Brown, a Tampa attorney, has served on the utility-regulatory panel since 2011 and was reappointed in August by... Continue Reading

State regulators Tuesday signed off on a plan by Tampa Electric Co. to increase customer bills in April because of higher-than-expected natural gas costs. With the approval by the Florida Public Service Commission, residential customers will see roughly 4 percent increases in their bills.... Continue Reading

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is arguing that the Florida Supreme Court should block a proposed constitutional amendment that could revamp the state’s electric utility industry. Moody took a formal step Friday of asking the Supreme Court to review the proposed ballot wording and... Continue Reading

A political committee backing a proposed constitutional amendment that would overhaul Florida’s electric-utility industry spent more than $562,000 in January as it continues to collect petition signatures, a newly filed finance report shows. The committee Citizens for Energy Choices spent... Continue Reading

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared skeptical of arguments that it should reject decisions by regulators allowing Florida Power & Light to collect money from customers for solar-energy projects and an environmental cleanup. The court held back-to-back arguments in challenges to... Continue Reading

Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would overhaul Florida’s electric-utility industry have submitted enough petition signatures for the state Supreme Court to review the ballot wording, according to the Florida Division of Elections website. The political committee Citizens... Continue Reading

Two of Florida’s most-powerful business groups said Thursday they oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that would overhaul the state’s electric utility industry. The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida issued statements as the political committee... Continue Reading

Pointing to higher-than-expected natural gas costs, Tampa Electric Co. asked state regulators to approve an increase in customer bills that would take effect in April. The request stems from a process that involves utilities passing through power-plant fuel costs to customers. The state Public... Continue Reading