Hillsborough County Commission Seeks Intervention on TECO Rate Hikes

The Hillsborough County Commission has written to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) requesting in-district customer service hearings and workshops for Tampa Electric customers.

This follows concerns raised by activists at a County meeting about the utility’s reliance on fossil fuels, which they say is driving up energy bills.

The price of gas has tripled since 2020, and since January 2019, the average Tampa Electric bill has increased by 62%. The County Commission hopes to see the PSC intervene to ensure the energy utilities are making rate-lowering decisions such as phasing out costly fossil fuels, bettering efficiency standards, and investing in resiliency projects to protect the environment and reduce costs for residents.

Commissioner Pat Kemp, who made the motion to draft the letter, said that Hillsborough residents are facing mounting costs for food and energy, and that the County Commission urges the PSC to address the underlying fossil fuel reliance driving these costs.

Text of the letter to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).

A recording of Tuesday’s Hillsborough County Commission meeting is available here.

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