The Florida Public Service Commission has approved what those opposed call one of the highest Florida Power & Light rate increases in history, and the rising costs are estimated to affect about 12 million customers.
The FPL rate increase was approved Nov. 20, over objections of advocates for the elderly, conservation groups, and the state-appointed advocate for Florida ratepayers, who called the proposal “disproportionately favorable” to corporate interests, the Associated Press reported.
FPL is the largest power company in Florida. Here’s what to know.
Your FPL power bill won’t go up yet, but likely soon. Starting in 2026 and for three years after most of the company’s utility customers can expect rates to increase.
The Florida Public Service Commission voted Nov. 20 to approve a Florida Power and Light four-year rate schedule reached in August negotiations.
After months of public debate with 10 key stakeholders, opponents and FPL, commissioners discussed pros and cons of the agreement for before voting to approve it at a Special Agenda meeting.
The Florida Power & Light rate hikes are scheduled to being on Jan. 1, 2026 and be in effect through 2029.
The monthly bill for a typical Florida customer will climb next year by $2.50 to $136.64, with some rising as high as averaging close to $150 per month over the span of the agreement.
Under the approved settlement, FPL said it will see its revenues increase by $945 million in 2026 and $766 million in 2027.
It is estimated that 12 million Floridians will be affected by the rate increases starting in 2026.
FPL customers will pay hundreds of dollars more each year than they did in 2021, when legal filing’s show the typical monthly bill was $101.70, according to legal filings in the case, the AP reported.
Power bills must go up, FPL says, because more people are moving to Florida, which is also the most vulnerable to hurricanes.
The Florida Public Service Commission, a state board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, approved the rate hike, instead of a counterproposal from the Florida Office of Public Counsel.
The settlement agreement was opposed by the Office of Public Counsel, which represents FPL’s 6 million customers, and a handful of other groups, including Florida Rising and Floridians Against Unfair Rates, which was founded to fight the rate hikes.
The Pensacola News Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported the backlash.
“Four years ago, FPL was awarded one of the largest rate hikes in U.S. history. Today, they’ve made history again at nearly double that amount. This shameful decision illustrates why our state energy regulators cannot be trusted to ensure that families have reliable, affordable energy,” said Food & Water Watch Senior Florida Organizer Brooke Ward. “People are not asking for diamonds or gold — while greedy utilities keep raking in record profits, regular Floridians want to be able to afford running their air conditioners and heaters. The legislature must pass affordable energy legislation this session to ensure fair electricity prices.”
Unplug when you’re done: Disconnect items like air fryers, coffee makers, power adapters and chargers after using them.
Switch off power-thirsty components: Plug entertainment centers into a power strip with an on/off switch, making it easy to switch so they are truly off.
Look for ENERGY STAR labels: Choose appliances with this certification, as they use less energy in standby mode than other products.
Lower hot water heater temperature: FPL suggests to keep it at 120 degrees. Most water heaters are set to 140 degrees but lowering it could save 3-5% on your water heating costs.
For winter, set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower: Heating systems can be big energy users but every degree below 68 saves you 5% on heating costs.
Avoid raising your thermostat by more than 2 degrees at a time: if you have a central electric-based heating system to prevent accidentally turning on auxiliary heat. Using auxiliary heat for more than 12 hours a day can add up to $15 per day on your energy bill.*
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: FPL Florida electric bill increase coming in 2026
