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FPL goes to bat today for 30% rate increase
Bradenton Herald ^ | 24 August 2009 | MARY ELLEN KLAS

Posted on 08/24/2009 5:17:16 AM PDT by NautiNurse

TALLAHASSEE — When Florida’s largest electric utility goes to state regulators today to ask for permission to dramatically raise rates, it will have recent history, powerful supporters and financial clout on its side.

[snip]

Missing from the discussion will be a previously powerful consumer voice, the AARP, which says it can’t afford to hire a lawyer this time to speak on behalf of the utility’s customers.

[snip]

FPL’s timing is awkward: The state economy is in tatters, unemployment stands at 10.7 percent and consumer pocketbooks are stretched thin. On top of that, just last week FPL flouted the commission’s unanimous decision to force the company to disclose how much its top executives make. The utility said it will challenge the ruling in court.

[snip]

Working in FPL’s favor are its strong political connections, its long record of campaign contributions and a recent decision by the PSC that favored another state utility in a similar case.

[snip]

Meanwhile Crist, who aggressively opposed the rate increase FPL sought in 2005 and allowed Kise to negotiate a settlement that kept rates flat, but gave the company more financial flexibility, has remained virtually silent on the rate increase.

“I think they will do the right thing,” Crist said recently.

FPL has traditionally been one of the most generous campaign contributors in the state.

It has given more than $250,000 to state political parties and candidates for the 2010 elections, and state records show it gave at least $5.7 million over the past 15 years. It became a major sponsor of Crist’s two climate change summits, then successfully worked to stop legislators from imposing deadlines for the use of alternative energy.

(Excerpt) Read more at bradenton.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: aarp; crist; florida; fpl
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This article is chock full of political influences involved in the rate hike tug-of-war.
1 posted on 08/24/2009 5:17:16 AM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: NautiNurse

It’s called bribery in my neck of the woods.


2 posted on 08/24/2009 5:21:17 AM PDT by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: NautiNurse

Like anything else you are ‘tied’ to, like the government, or soon socialized medicine, you have to pay for people that don’t.

Something like one in eight FPL residential home owners are not, or are behind in their bills by three months. Further something like one in five business are behind.

It doesn’t matter if FPL cuts them off. The overhead of plants, maintenance, repair, administration has to be distributed to the remaining customers, which means you.

Isn’t collectivism grand?


3 posted on 08/24/2009 5:27:29 AM PDT by Leisler
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To: Leisler

F.P.L.like most monopolies will get their money one way or another.
This isn’t a true business, you know risk reward, it is socialism and b.s.


4 posted on 08/24/2009 5:30:04 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (google; operation garden spot and REX84)
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To: NautiNurse
Allegheny Power in PA is also raising rates. Funny thing is they're running ads on the radio claiming that your appliances and light bulbs are STEALING your money.
Takes one to know one.
5 posted on 08/24/2009 5:33:43 AM PDT by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: NautiNurse
Florida Power & Light Co. is constructing and heavily investing in wind farms.....in IOWA!

Looks like they want Floridians to pay for those investments for them.

6 posted on 08/24/2009 5:37:04 AM PDT by capt. norm (Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.)
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To: NautiNurse

How much is a kw hour in Florida?


7 posted on 08/24/2009 5:38:27 AM PDT by OpusatFR (Those embryos are little humans in progress. Using them for profit is slavery.)
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To: mewzilla

And FPL will likely be blessed with ~14.5% rate increase.


8 posted on 08/24/2009 5:39:50 AM PDT by NautiNurse (Obama: A day without TOTUS is like a day without sunshine)
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To: OpusatFR
If I may, because I was curious as well....

FPL Residential Rate Schedule

Dated 2006. Gives you an idea, anyway.

9 posted on 08/24/2009 5:41:59 AM PDT by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: NautiNurse

Maybe if they hadn’t donated so much to political candidates, they wouldn’t need a rate hike increase.


10 posted on 08/24/2009 5:44:53 AM PDT by autumnraine (You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out!)
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To: OpusatFR
How much is a kw hour in Florida?

Customer charge: $5.33 per month

Fuel:
(First 1000 kWh at $0.053510)
(Over 1000 kWh at $0.063510)
Non-fuel:
(First 1000 kWh at $0.045110)
(Over 1000 kWh at $0.055420)

11 posted on 08/24/2009 5:47:30 AM PDT by NautiNurse (Obama: A day without TOTUS is like a day without sunshine)
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To: NautiNurse
And from NYS....

Libous rails against utility tax increase

12 posted on 08/24/2009 5:47:59 AM PDT by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: NautiNurse

BTW, we’re paying about $0.13/kwh with NYSEG.


13 posted on 08/24/2009 5:50:45 AM PDT by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: NautiNurse

>>the AARP, which says it can’t afford to hire a lawyer this time to speak on behalf of the utility’s customers.<<

But they have plenty of money to push DeathCare.

Miserable slugs, preying on the elderly. If Dante were alive today, The Inferno would have several additional rings, just for politicians and those who take advantage of others.


14 posted on 08/24/2009 5:50:56 AM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners)
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To: NautiNurse

I wonder if the utility is counting on a lot of your NYS transplants still thinking it’s a bargain even with the rate hike?


15 posted on 08/24/2009 5:51:48 AM PDT by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: mewzilla
Can't forget the additional monthly charges:

Storm charge
Gross receipts tax
Franchise charge
Utility tax

16 posted on 08/24/2009 5:58:16 AM PDT by NautiNurse (Obama: A day without TOTUS is like a day without sunshine)
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To: capt. norm

Nice find. Thanks.


17 posted on 08/24/2009 5:59:34 AM PDT by NautiNurse (Obama: A day without TOTUS is like a day without sunshine)
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To: NautiNurse
And FPL will likely be blessed with ~14.5% rate increase.

That's child's play compared to the 75% rate hike that customers of Baltimore Gas & Electric got two years ago, with more hikes coming this year. In some cases, customers' electric bills are higher than their mortgage payments.
18 posted on 08/24/2009 6:37:14 AM PDT by piperpilot
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To: OpusatFR
How much is a kw hour in Florida?

Depends. Not all of us use FPL, though from what NN posted I'm beginning to wish I did. I'm paying 11.7c/kWh, though I do get about $20/mon off because I allow them to disable power to my AC and pool pump during peak times.

I'm considering a new program they have where rates will be 8.0, 10.5, 22.2 or 69.7 depending on period. I've got some questions about it though, like if they have a way for me to disable power to my water heater and pool pump during the higher two periods (which change depending on season and weekends, altering the schedule will have to be THEIR problem, not mine).

19 posted on 08/24/2009 7:21:51 AM PDT by Darth Reardon
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To: NautiNurse

I just dug out our bill, since I wrote the check just last night.....here in the California desert:
Consumption - $0.0784/KWH
then we top it off the “Energy Cost Adjustment”, which takes care of the utility’s screwup by locking in fuel at the wrong time:
$0.0501/KWH


20 posted on 08/24/2009 7:28:14 AM PDT by ErnBatavia (Impeach now....not next month... now)
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