TECO Rate Appeals Put on Hold

Article reposted with permission from The News Service of Florida.

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold two appeals challenging Tampa Electric Co. rate increases. The court granted a stay requested by the Florida Public Service Commission. That request stemmed from a motion filed in February at the Public Service Commission by the state Office of Public Counsel seeking reconsideration of the rate increases. The motion filed at the Public Service Commission is separate from the appeals filed at the Supreme Court. The Office of Public Counsel represents consumers in utility issues. It filed an appeal at the Supreme Court this month challenging the commission’s approval of the rate increases. Also, the groups Florida Rising, Inc., and LULAC Florida, Inc., which is also known as the League of United Latin American Citizens of Florida, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court. But in requesting the stay of the Supreme Court appeals, the Public Service Commission said it will take up the Office of Public Counsel’s motion for reconsideration at a future “public meeting and issue a written order disposing of the motion.” The commission asked the Supreme Court to hold the appeals in “abeyance” until it makes a decision on the motion. In a December vote followed by a Feb. 3 final order, the Public Service Commission approved a nearly $185 million base-rate increase for Tampa Electric in 2025, followed by expected increases of $86.6 million in 2026 and $9.1 million in 2027. The first increases took effect in January.