TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Customer and business advocacy groups Tuesday filed testimony with state regulators arguing that Duke Energy Florida’s request for a three-year, $830 million electricity rate hike is excessive.
Steve W. Chriss, testifying on behalf of the Florida Retail Federation, said the commission should question the utility’s request to increase rates and increase its return on equity, given the reduced financial risk provided by the state’s regulatory framework.
“Given current economic conditions, a rate increase is a serious concern for retailers and their customers,” Chriss said in written testimony. He is senior director of utility partnerships with Walmart.
The Office of Public Counsel, which represents utility customers in rate cases before the Public Service Commission, also filed testimony Tuesday, but it had not been posted on the commission website by late Tuesday afternoon.
