DeSantis Commission Approves $20-40/Month TECO, Duke Rate Hike
Tampa Bay electricity bills will be among the nation’s highest this summer
Published Feb 4, 2025
Tampa Bay electricity bills will be among the nation’s highest this summer
Today, Governor DeSantis’ Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved a rate hike for Tampa Electric Co. (TECO) and Duke Energy customers, that will have the average residential customer using 1000-1250 kWh/month paying $360-490 more over the course of the increase, starting in March. Specifically:
- TECO customers using 1000-1250 kWh will pay $20-25 more each month for the next 18 months.
- Duke customers using 1000-1250 kWh will pay $32-40 more each month for the next 12 months.
This is the latest rate hike to hit Tampa Bay residents after a controversial and widely opposed $9-13/month TECO rate hike went into effect last month. With these rate increases and average higher usage during hotter months, Tampa Bay residents’ electricity bills will be among the nation’s highest this summer. Additional increases are expected.
In response, Food & Water Watch Senior Florida Organizer Brooke Ward issued the following statement:
“The higher our bills rise, the louder our opposition grows. Floridians are sick and tired of padding corporate utility pockets while we can’t make our own ends meet.
“Hurricanes Helene and Milton were the latest example of the devastation our fracked gas reliance fuels. In yet another reminder of Governor DeSantis’ pro-corporate agenda, rather than use this opportunity to shift course, we are being asked again to fork over more money to the polluters that supercharged these disasters.
“Floridians want affordable, clean energy — and we need political leadership ready to fight for it. Governor DeSantis and Florida’s leaders must put community needs ahead of corporate greed.”
Today’s rate hike will cover utility costs related to fossil fueled climate disasters Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Despite worsening extreme weather, Florida utilities remain reliant on costly, destructive fossil fuels. Fracked gas costs, used to produce nearly three quarters of the state’s electricity, even as gas costs are expected to increase 35.8% percent over the next three years.
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Press Contact: Phoebe Trotter [email protected]
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