PSC OKs utility upgrades for hurricanes

TALLAHASSEE — Less than a week after Hurricane Ian knocked out power to large swaths of Florida, state regulators approved utilities’ long-term plans to try to bolster the electric system.

The state Public Service Commission OK’d plans submitted by Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric Co. and Florida Public Utilities Co. The plans detail a wide range of projects, including increasing underground power lines.

But with the work expected to cost billions of dollars over the next decade, commissioners expressed concerns about the effects on utility customers’ pocketbooks. Monthly electric bills have climbed during the past year because of issues such as high prices of natural gas used to fuel power plants.

Also, customers in the coming months could get hit with additional costs related to restoring power after Ian

Commissioner Gabriella Passidomo said “maybe we need to just temper our pace a little bit in these investments and reassess over time about how effective they are in certain areas. Because, as we have seen, every storm is very different.”

Utilities filed the proposals in the spring, but the commission vote came last week as crews continued to work on restoring power after Hurricane Ian slammed the Southwest Florida coast Wednesday and continued across the state.

The plans approved Tuesday were tied to a 2019 state law that passed after Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Michael and other storms caused widespread power outages. The Legislature almost unanimously passed the measure, which, in part, changed the way storm-protection projects were financed.