Florida Power & Light rates: 2027 proposal includes hurricane recovery fee

Florida Power & Light has submitted a new rate case to the Florida Public Service Commission seeking approval for 2027 residential electricity charges. The utility proposes an average monthly bill of $141.87 for a household consuming 1,000 kilowatt-hours. This figure is $1.18 lower than the $143.05 projection approved in 2025 as part of a four-year rate agreement.

The proposed reduction would save a typical home approximately $14.16 over the course of 2027 compared to the previous estimate. FPL attributes this decrease to lower projected natural gas costs, investments in generation modernization, and improved operational efficiency. The company also requested a reduction in the fuel component of the bill based on its updated natural gas price outlook.

Included in the total average bill is a temporary surcharge of $3.48 per month for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours consumed. FPL intends to collect this fee from January through December 2027, subject to regulatory approval. The funds are designated for recovering expenses related to storm restoration and partially replenishing the utility's emergency reserve fund. The $141.87 average already incorporates this surcharge; it is not an additional line item added to the base rate.

The hurricane recovery fee addresses costs from Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall near Destin in northwestern Florida on October 9 as a Category 2 storm. According to FPL, the system left approximately 435,000 customers without power. This outage affected roughly 84% of the utility's customers in that specific region.

The company mobilized about 17,000 workers to restore service. FPL stated that it reestablished power for nearly all affected customers within four days where conditions permitted. The utility also cited the performance of its infrastructure during the event, noting that smart grid technology prevented approximately 138,000 service interruptions. The company reported that underground power lines performed 14 times better than aerial lines during the storm.

The new rates are not yet in effect. The $141.87 average remains a proposal pending review by the Florida Public Service Commission. If regulators approve the filing, the adjusted rates and the hurricane surcharge would appear on customer bills beginning in January 2027. The surcharge would run through the end of that year.

The decision will affect the 6.13 million homes and businesses FPL serves across 41 Florida counties. The utility's filing outlines how the lower fuel costs and efficiency gains will offset the temporary storm recovery charge, keeping the overall average below the level originally projected in the 2025 agreement.