The Florida Public Service Commission on Friday finished a week-long hearing on a proposal by Tampa Electric Co. to raise base electric rates.
Attorneys for the utility and other parties in the case will file briefs in September, and the commission is expected to make a decision in time for new rates to take effect Jan. 1.
Tampa Electric asked the commission to approve a $287.98 million increase in 2025, followed by increases of $92.37 million in 2026 and $65.47 million in 2027.
The proposal includes seeking money for a series of projects, including upgrading existing power plants and adding solar-energy facilities.
But the state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers, and other parties argued that the proposal should be scaled back.
The hearing, which started Monday, included detailed testimony about the proposal.
Base rates make up a major part of customers’ monthly electric bills, and rate cases play out over months and involve voluminous amounts of information.
Other parties in the case include the Florida Retail Federation; the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, which represents large electricity users; the Sierra Club; the federal government; fuel retailers; Florida Rising; and the League of United Latin American Citizens of Florida.
