Florida AGs Stay Silent on Utility Rate Hikes as Bills Surge
Florida’s top law enforcement officials have passed on opportunities to challenge soaring electric bills, even as other states’ attorneys general fight back against utility rate hikes.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Florida’s Republican attorneys general have not intervened in utility rate cases even as electricity bills for millions of state residents have climbed dramatically over the past several years, a pattern that contrasts with the actions of attorneys general in other states facing similar pressures.
After Florida Power & Light imposed a nearly $7 billion rate hike on its 12 million customers last year, Attorney General James Uthemier took no action to challenge it. His predecessor, Ashley Moody, who now serves as a U.S. senator, also declined to intervene in utility rate proceedings during her six years in office, a period when rates from Florida’s four investor-owned utilities rose sharply.
How Much Have Bills Gone Up?
According to data compiled by Food & Water Watch, Florida ratepayers have seen substantial increases from December 2020 through January 2026. Tampa Electric raised its bills by 86% over that period, Duke Energy by 49%, and Florida Power and Light by 45%.
Florida’s four investor-owned utilities are Tampa Electric, Duke Energy, Florida Power and Light, and Florida Public Utilities Co., a much smaller provider serving North Florida.
Other States Have Pushed Back
Attorneys general in other states have moved to protect ratepayers from large rate increases. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes intervened last fall after Arizona Public Services sought a rate hike of more than 14%. In Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel filed testimony in March 2026 to cut an 85% rate hike proposed by energy provider DTE. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson recently urged state regulators to reduce a proposed rate increase from Duke Energy Carolinas.
Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist pointed to his own record as a contrast. “As attorney general, I sued utility companies,” Crist said while speaking at a St. Petersburg mayoral forum last week.
Florida’s Regulatory Structure
The primary regulator of Florida’s investor-owned utilities is the Florida Public Service Commission, a five-member board appointed by the governor. Nominees are submitted by a joint state House-Senate committee and are subject to confirmation by the Senate. Critics have long argued the commission has been ineffective at pushing back against rate increases, leaving the attorney general’s office as a potential secondary check on utility pricing.
When the Public Service Commission fails to adequately protect consumers, state law allows the attorney general to intervene in rate cases — a tool that Florida’s current and recent past attorneys general have not used against the state’s major electric utilities, according to the Florida Phoenix.
