FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2022
DeFuniak Springs City Manager sends letter to Public Service Commission over FP&L rates
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. – The City of DeFuniak Springs City Manager Robert Thompson wrote a letter to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) concerning the recent rate hikes by Florida Power and Light (FPL). In the letter, approved by the City Council, Thompson asked PSC to re-investigate the “dramatic” rate increases for accuracy and to address inadequacies in fuel diversity and fuel supply reliability which have resulted in “unconscionable fuel charges to FPL customers.”
The City Manager stated, “It is fundamentally unfair for FPL customers formally served by Gulf Power to suffer from the highest investor-owned utility in Florida. The customers – our citizens, friends, and neighbors – had virtually no voice and no representation. What was promised as a modest “2.5%” increase has turned out to be a ten-fold underestimation by FPL and PSC in what customers are billed.
He further advocates that “Our residents, and every FPL customer, deserve another look by the PSC at this crippling situation created by FPL.”
To assist our community, get answers about the bills, the City recently invited the FPL Community Action Mobile Team to meet with customers to explain the rate increase, help customers navigate through the bills, and offer money saving tips and other resources. We continue to advocate for our community and insist on a rate review and revision of the current rate structure.
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About The City of DeFuniak Springs: Located in Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, one hundred miles east of Tallahassee, the City of DeFuniak Springs is the county seat of Walton County. We are the gateway to the beaches of the Emerald Coast and home to Lake DeFuniak, one of only two spring-fed lakes in the world that is almost perfectly round. Founded in the 19th century as a resort for railroad travelers, and later the summer resort for the Chautauqua, the town welcomed presidents, poets, writers, and musicians to the charming community as a vacation destination. We still welcome travelers interested in Florida's rich history and culture. To find out more, visit our website at www.defuniaksprings.net or call (850) 892-8500.