TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Electric Company (TECO) announced on Monday they are seeking to continue an increase in customers' bills to cover fuel and storm costs from 2022.
TECO said they filed a request with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to collect fuel costs from 2022 and expenses from the restoration efforts after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, which TECO said they paid for upfront. According to TECO, the prices of natural gas in 2022 increased by more than 70 percent over the previous year.
This adjustment would be the second of two steps for TECO after the PSC already granted TECO an 11 percent rate increase at the end of 2022 that went into effect in January 2023.
If the PSC approves the requests TECO filed, the typical residential customer's energy bill would increase by about 10 percent, or $14.66 to $161.38 for 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of use from the $146.72 customers pay now.
Commercial and industrial customers' energy bills would increase between five and ten percent, depending on the usage.
The PSC is expected to vote on the requests on March 7. If approved, the bills would adjust in April.
