AARP Florida Delivers 34,000 Petitions to PSC Opposing Excessive FPL Rate Hike

On Monday, AARP Florida staff and volunteers brought a powerful message to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC): Florida’s older residents, families, and those living on fixed incomes can’t afford another costly utility rate increase.

The organization is calling on state regulators to put customer interests ahead of corporate profits. Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) proposal would raise the average residential customer’s electric bill by hundreds of dollars per year—at a time when housing, insurance, and other essential costs are already surging.

In a strong show of public opposition, AARP Florida delivered nearly 34,000 signed petitions urging the PSC to reject the utility’s proposed four-year, excessive rate hike. More than 1,400 additional online comments from concerned Floridians accompanied the petitions.

The delivery came just as the PSC was set to begin hearings on the proposal. But in a last-minute twist, FPL announced an “agreement in principle” late Friday with several groups that had opposed the increase. The company says the settlement will keep bills below the national average through the end of the decade—but the details remain undisclosed until at least August 20.

For Zayne Smith, AARP Florida’s Senior Director for Advocacy, that secrecy undermines public trust. She warns that even a modest $5–$15 monthly increase could force seniors on fixed incomes to choose between essentials like groceries or gas. The petition drive, she says, sends a loud and clear signal that Floridians are tired of being asked to shoulder higher bills while FPL seeks profits far above the national average.

“Today, we stand united in our commitment to protect Floridians from additional financial hardship,” Smith said. “Older adults on fixed incomes are fed up with relentless rate hikes, and customer voices matter.

AARP Florida says Floridians deserve openness, accountability, and fair rates—not backroom deals and vows to keep pressing lawmakers and regulators to put people, not profits, first when it comes to essential services.

Visit www.aarp.org/flfpl for continued updates on the rate case.