FP&L rate hike request called

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Representatives from those agenciesblasteds FP&L’s rate increase at a public hearint Thursday morning in Fort Lauderdale. In the firsgt hour and a half ofthe hearing, only opposition was “We believe the amount they’rwe asking for is excessive. It’s just too much to ask for in today’s economic times,” said J.R. Kelly, public counsepl with the Florida Offices ofPublic Counsel. The Juno Beach-based utility is strugglint to make the case that it is alread y the most efficient utility in the and it would use additiona l funding to reinvest ingreater efficiency.
It has asked for approva of an increase to its base rate that woulxd raise the average residentialbill – 1,000p kilowatt hours – by $12 per month. FP&L projects that lower fuel costs – mostly natural gas and coal will lower the averaged residential bill next yearby $17, so its requesft actually won’t raise anyone’s FPL has argued that its proposal, if approvedf by the , will decreasd the typical bill by $5 monthlt or 4 percent starting on Januargy 2010. But Kelly and othera said Thursday morning that fuel prices are not Kelly argues the rate increas would guarantee a return on investmentof 12.
5 percent for the and that every one percent represents $130 “That is just too much Maybe five years in the future we will have a flourishingf economy,” Kelly said, adding that his office supports a return of 9.5 or 10 percent. According to Kelly, FP&L has already acknowledged they over-collected $1.25 billionm from rate-payers for depreciation. In opening remarks, Marlenre Santos, the utility’s vice presidenty of customer service/sales and said customers benefit fromthe utility’sz strong financial position. “When we save on our customers save on our she said.
But speakerr after speaker said the grimeconomy – unemployment and dropping home valueds – made this the wrong time for rate increasese designed to enhance the utility’s financial position. “We doubft they need any increase at allto own, operat e and maintain their system,” said Roberr Sheffel Wright, an attorney with Tallahassee-based Youny van Assenderp, who was speaking on behalfc of the Florida Retail The Public Service Commission, which regulates state will decide in mid-November whether to granty FPL's request. The PSC will hold hearings agaimn Friday, 10:30 a.m. at the North Dade Regional Libraryin Miami; and 6 p.m.
at the Plantation City Counci Chambers.