Why did my Florida Power and Light bill go up?
In November 2025, state regulators approved a four-year rate settlement worth roughly 6.9 billion dollars for Florida Power and Light, locking in a guaranteed 10.95 percent profit margin for the utility.[1]
What drove your bill higher
A 6.9 billion dollar rate hike
The Florida Public Service Commission handed Florida Power and Light one of the largest rate increases in U.S. history in late 2025.[1]
Guaranteed utility profit
The settlement maintained FPL's authorized return on equity at 10.95 percent, higher than the state's consumer advocate recommended.[1]
Dependence on natural gas
Roughly three-quarters of Florida's electricity comes from burning natural gas, leaving ratepayers exposed to volatile fuel prices.[2]
What regulators approved
In November 2025, the Florida Public Service Commission approved a four-year settlement worth about 6.9 billion dollars that maintained Florida Power and Light's authorized return on equity at 10.95 percent.[1] The state's Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers, had pushed for a lower 10.6 percent and a smaller increase. Critics called it one of the largest rate hikes in U.S. history.
That guaranteed profit is built into the rates customers pay. Floridians are paying more toward utility profits than ratepayers in many other states. The typical FPL residential bill for 1,000 kilowatt-hours was set to rise from 134.14 dollars to 136.64 dollars a month in 2026.[3]
The gas price factor
Roughly three-quarters of Florida's electricity comes from burning natural gas, and renewables supply only about 10 percent.[2] Florida is the nation's third-largest electricity consumer. Because nearly all that gas is piped in from out of state, swings in gas prices flow straight through to Floridians' monthly bills.
Florida's per-kilowatt-hour rate sits below the national average, but the state's hot climate drives heavy air-conditioning use, so monthly bills still run high.[3] When families have no choice but to run the AC in July and August, they carry the full weight of every gas-price spike and every rate decision handed down by state regulators.
A different path
The case for a different approach starts with the numbers. New utility-scale solar costs about 29 to 92 dollars per megawatt-hour and onshore wind about 27 to 73 dollars, while a new natural gas combined-cycle plant runs around 76 dollars, according to Lazard's 2024 analysis.[4] Lazard has ranked wind and solar as the cheapest new-build power for roughly a decade straight.
Across Florida, the conversation is shifting. Families want to know why they are sending money out of state for imported gas when the Sunshine State sits under some of the best solar resources in the country. Solar already provides about 11 percent of Florida's electricity, ranks third nationally in installed capacity, and supports more than 14,000 jobs.[5] The runway to expand is enormous.
This is bigger than party. Florida leaders should unleash clean and renewable energy across the state and require greater integration of clean energy technologies into public utilities. Environmentally sound energy protects the tourist and environmental economy Florida depends on and can drive down utility costs for consumers. Lead with your heart because it's the right thing. Lead with your head because it makes good economic sense.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Are utility profits driving up Florida electricity bills?
Utility profit margins are part of the picture. When the Florida Public Service Commission approved Florida Power and Light's 2025 rate settlement, it locked in a 10.95 percent guaranteed return on equity, higher than the 10.6 percent the state's consumer advocate recommended.[1] That guaranteed profit is built into the rates customers pay. Critics argue Floridians are paying more toward utility profits than ratepayers in many other states. One way to push back is to expand cheaper, home-grown clean energy and give consumers more options to lower their own bills.
Q. Why does Florida rely so much on natural gas?
Florida built out a large fleet of natural gas power plants over the past two decades and now burns gas for about three-quarters of its electricity, per the EIA, with renewables at only about 10 percent.[2] The catch is that nearly all of that gas is piped in from out of state, so Floridians are exposed to national price swings they cannot control. Coal has fallen sharply, from 23 percent of generation in 2014 to about 3 percent. Adding more in-state solar would reduce that dependence on imported fuel and the volatility it brings to bills.
Q. Won't switching to clean energy raise my electric bill?
No, and over time it can do the opposite. New utility-scale solar and wind are now the cheapest sources of new electricity in the country, undercutting new natural gas plants, according to Lazard's 2024 analysis.[4] Florida today gets about three-quarters of its power from burning natural gas, so when gas prices spike, your bill spikes with them. Adding home-grown solar and battery storage diversifies the mix and shields ratepayers from those swings. Clean energy means more competition and more stable, lower long-run costs, not higher bills. The bills hitting Floridians hardest right now are tied to fossil-fuel costs and to utility rate hikes, like the 6.9 billion dollar increase regulators handed Florida Power and Light in 2025.
Q. Is solar actually cheaper than natural gas?
Yes. Lazard's 2024 analysis, the standard industry benchmark, found that new utility-scale solar costs about 29 to 92 dollars per megawatt-hour and onshore wind about 27 to 73 dollars, while a new natural gas combined-cycle plant runs around 76 dollars.[4] Lazard has now ranked wind and solar as the cheapest new-build power for roughly a decade straight. For Florida, which burns natural gas for about three-quarters of its electricity, leaning into low-cost solar is a way to hold down long-run costs for families and businesses.
Q. How much of Florida's electricity comes from solar?
About 11 percent of Florida's electricity comes from solar, according to industry data.[5] The much larger share, roughly three-quarters, comes from burning natural gas, with renewables overall at about 10 percent per the EIA. So even though Florida ranks third nationally for installed solar capacity, the Sunshine State still relies overwhelmingly on fossil fuel rather than its own abundant sunshine. That gap is exactly why leaders want to unleash more clean and renewable energy across the state.
Q. How does clean energy affect low-income families' bills?
Energy costs fall hardest on low-income households. Per ACEEE, roughly two-thirds of low-income U.S. families face a high energy burden, spending more than 6 percent of their income on energy, nearly three times the rate of the average household.[6] In a hot state like Florida, where summer cooling drives up consumption, that burden is especially heavy. Cheaper, home-grown clean power and energy efficiency directly ease the squeeze, helping working families keep the lights on and the air conditioning running without choosing between power and other necessities.
Q. Why should the Sunshine State lead on solar?
Because Florida has the sun and is leaving much of it on the table. Despite ranking third nationally in installed capacity, solar provides only about 11 percent of the state's electricity, while three-quarters comes from imported natural gas.[5] For a state nicknamed the Sunshine State, that is a missed opportunity to cut costs, create jobs, and protect the environment that drives tourism. Unleashing clean and renewable energy lets Florida turn a free, abundant local resource into lower bills and greater energy independence.
Q. How does solar create jobs in Florida?
Solar is a real jobs engine in the state. Florida's solar industry supports more than 14,000 jobs across roughly 473 companies, and the state is the nation's second-largest solar employer behind only California.[5] These are local jobs in installation, electrical work, construction, sales, and operations that cannot be shipped overseas. Solar has also drawn over 33 billion dollars in investment into Florida. Expanding clean energy means more of these good-paying jobs in communities across the state, alongside lower bills and a cleaner environment.
Sources
- Florida Phoenix, https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/20/psc-approves-contentious-7-billion-rate-hike-for-florida-power-light-customers/ · 2025-11-20
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/florida/ · 2025-11-01
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a · 2025-01-01
- Lazard, https://www.lazard.com/media/xemfey0k/lazards-lcoeplus-june-2024-_vf.pdf · 2024-06-01
- Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), https://seia.org/solar-state-by-state/ · 2026-06-10
- American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), https://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/energy-affordability.pdf · 2019-01-01
Your bill should reflect a choice
When Florida families pay more so utilities can profit more, something is wrong. Have a question for David Jolly? Visit the Town Hall and ask.