Advocates call for affordable energy reform a year after record heat
Advocates protested outside Tampa Electric's offices, calling for affordable energy reform due to an 81% increase in customer bills over five years. They warn that a proposed Duke Energy tariff for data centers, currently under review by the Public Service Commission, could sidestep a new law and lead to ratepayers bearing additional costs.
Advocates from the nonprofit Food and Water Watch and the Hillsborough Affordable Energy Coalition gathered outside Tampa Electric's (TECO) offices in Tampa on July 25 to protest record electricity bill increases. This demonstration marked the one-year anniversary of 100-degree heat in the city, with the groups calling for affordable energy reform.
According to Isabella Moeller, Florida organizer for Food and Water Watch, TECO customers have seen their bills surge by 81% in the last five years, amounting to an increase of over $900 annually, which is more than triple the inflation rate. Moeller stated that investor-owned utilities like TECO, Duke Energy, and Florida Power and Light have consistently received substantial rate increases, which are approved by the Public Service Commission, resulting in some of the highest electricity bills in the nation for Floridians.
While TECO is removing a storm recovery charge, which they claim will save customers about $20 per 1,000 kWh, the advocacy groups argue this is a minor reduction and that base rates remain historically high. Food and Water Watch anticipates TECO will request another rate hike in 2027.
Moeller highlighted a pending case with the Public Service Commission in August concerning a large user tariff requested by Duke Energy. This proposal would allow Duke Energy to classify data centers as large corporations for grid usage. Consumer advocates fear this could circumvent a new data center law, ultimately shifting costs onto general ratepayers.