A regulatory case about Gulf Power’s proposal to raise base electric rates could get more crowded.
The League of Women Voters of Florida and the Sierra Club have filed petitions to formally intervene in the case, which is expected to play out in the coming months at the Florida Public Service Commission.
Gulf Power, which provides electricity in much of Northwest Florida, is seeking approval to raise base rates by $106.8 million. The petitions for intervention came after the commission on Dec. 8 allowed the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, which frequently clashes with electric utilities, to take part in the case. Gulf had objected to the Southern Alliance’s participation.
The League of Women Voters is represented by attorneys for the Earthjustice environmental law firm and pointed in its petition to concerns about issues such as energy efficiency and renewable energy.
“LWVF (the League of Women Voters) and its members advocate for and invest in cost-effective energy efficiency measures and support customer-sited renewable energy generation (rooftop solar),” the petition said. “Such measures can meet electricity demand at a fraction of the cost of building new power plants. LWVF’s members have an interest in ensuring that the (Public Service) Commission properly considers the true value of all conservation measures, including demand side renewable energy, in this rate proceeding in setting fixed charges.”
The state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers in utility cases, will take part in the case. Also approved for intervention are the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, which is made up of large industrial users, and federal-government agencies that are Gulf customers.
A notice issued Monday approving the Florida Industrial Power Users Group intervention said a detailed rate hearing is scheduled to start March 20.
-source: The News Service of Florida