Tallahassee, FL — Today, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) denied the Office of Public Counsel’s (OPC) request to reconsider Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) historic near-$7 billion rate hike that went into effect this January. The case now heads to the state Supreme Court.

OPC challenged the rate case approval in February, claiming it was not passed in the public’s best interest, citing, among other things, FPL’s 10.95 percent return on equity — the largest in the contiguous United States.

“It’s not shocking that DeSantis’ utility regulators refused to reconsider Florida Power & Light’s rate case, considering their history of rubber-stamping corporate utility rate hikes time and time again,” said Food & Water Watch Southern Regional Director Jorge Aguilar. “The only way Floridians will receive the energy they need at prices they can afford is if lawmakers stand up, speak out, and pass legislation to rein in these rate hikes.”

“The Florida Public Service Commission’s refusal to reconsider a nearly $7 billion rate hike ignores the very people it is meant to protect, ” says Mary Gutierrez, Environmental Scientist and Director of Earth Ethics. “With Florida Power & Light earning one of the highest profit margins in the nation and customer bills rising dramatically, the Office of Public Counsel is right to argue that this decision is not in the public interest—it is a burden placed squarely on the shoulders of everyday Floridians.”

“While certainly disappointing, we look forward to presenting our case to the Florida Supreme Court as to why this decision approving this rate increase should be overturned,” said Bradley Marshall, Senior Attorney with Earthjustice, representing Florida Rising, the League of United Latin American Citizens of Florida, and the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida in the rate case at the Public Service Commission and in the appeal at the Florida Supreme Court.

Kim Ross, Co-Executive Director of Rethink Energy Florida, said, “The decision by the Florida Public Service Commission shows the gulf between regulators in Tallahassee and everyday Floridians. Energy affordability is a crisis in this state, and yet the Commission allows FPL the largest rate hike in history, allowing it to have the highest profits nationwide. When will energy affordability be something our leaders act on?”

Yoca Arditi-Rocha, CEO of The CLEO Institute said, “For too many Floridians, rising energy bills mean real tradeoffs at home. Groceries, rent, healthcare. Something has to give. CLEO’s Connecting the Dots report which tracks utility contributions highlights how these outcomes are shaped, and who ultimately pays the price. Energy should support people’s lives, not strain them. This is not the path toward a stronger, more resilient future for our state.”

A report released last month studying 79 investor-owned utilities in the United States found that FPL has the largest profit margin out of all surveyed utilities at 27 percent — that’s 27 cents in profit per dollar collected from ratepayers. According to Food & Water Watch analysis, FPL bills have increased 45% — or $511 — between December 2020 and January 2026, after FPL’s latest rate hike went into effect.