OPPAGA Government Program Summary

What is the purpose of the commission?

The Florida Public Service Commission seeks to facilitate the efficient provision of safe and reliable utility services at fair prices. The commission must balance the needs of a utility and its shareholders with the needs of consumers. To achieve this goal, the commission establishes exclusive utility service territories, regulates utility rates and profits, and places an affirmative obligation on the utility to provide service to all who requested it.

How is commission governed?

The commission is governed by a five-member board. Commissioners are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor and are confirmed by the Senate. Commissioners are selected for their knowledge and experience in one or more fields substantially related to the duties and functions of the PSC. These fields include economics, accounting, engineering, finance, natural resource conservation, energy, public affairs, and law.

The chairman, who is elected to a two-year term by majority vote of the commissioners, serves as the chief administrative officer, sets commission hearings, establishes panels, assigns cases, presides at hearings and conferences, and performs all other duties as prescribed by law.

What activities are performed by the commission?

The commission's activities include the following.

Accounting and Finance reviews the revenue requirements of rate base regulated electric, natural gas, and water and wastewater utilities and monitors earnings for these industries through reviews of surveillance filings and utility annual reports. Activities also include managing the utilities’ annual report process, processing requests for base rate changes requested by utilities, reviewing storm cost recovery petitions, evaluating petitions for regulatory assets, and assessing the revenue requirement effect of tax law changes on regulated utilities.
Engineering reviews recommendations on technical issues before the commission including evaluation of engineering capital cost estimates and actual utility plant expenditures.
Economics provides recommendations to the commissioners on the design and application of retail rates and tariffs for all utilities subject to the commission's jurisdiction.
Industry Development and Market Analysis analyzes developing policies and prepares recommendations for implementing state and federal laws, including strategy alternatives for consideration by the commission. The office serves as a technical liaison with the Florida Legislature and state agencies.

What does the commission regulate?

The commission does not regulate the rates and service quality of publicly owned municipal or cooperative electric utilities; however, it does have jurisdiction regarding rate structure, territorial boundaries, bulk power supply operations and power supply planning over municipally-owned electric systems and rural electric cooperatives. In addition, the commission exercises safety authority over all electric and natural gas systems operating in the state. The table below describes the commission's regulatory activities in 2023.

Public Service Commission Regulatory Activities by Utility Type

Rates and Services	Number
Investor-owned water and/or wastewater utilities	146
Investor-owned natural gas utilities	5
Investor-owned electric utilities	4
Safety, Rate Structure, Territorial Boundaries, Bulk Power Supply, Operations and Planning
Municipally-owned electric systems	35
Rural electric cooperatives	18
Safety and Territorial Boundaries
Municipally-owned natural gas utilities	27
Gas districts	4
Competitive Markets
Competitive local exchange telecommunication companies	257
Pay telephone companies	22
Incumbent local exchange companies	10
Source: 2023 Annual Report, Florida Public Service Commission, 2023.

How are these activities funded?

The funding information listed below is provided by Transparency Florida. Please contact the commission for more information on its funding. Additional information about commission funding and activities is available on the State of Florida Fiscal Portal.

Fiscal Year: 2024-25

Title	Fund	Dollars	Positions
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
PROGRAM: COMMISSIONERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
	EXECUTIVE DIRECTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES	7,821,445	54.00
	LEGAL SERVICES	3,607,416	30.00
	PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONERS	3,137,408	17.00
PROGRAM: UTILITY REGULATION AND CONSUMER ASSISTANCE
	AUDITING AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS	2,772,194	25.00
	UTILITY REGULATION	14,804,626	146.00
TOTAL		32,143,089	272.00

Source: www.transparencyflorida.gov

Where can I find more information on the commission's performance?

Performance measures and standards for the commission may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

Additional Resources

OPPAGA Reports and Presentations
A complete list of OPPAGA reports and presentations is available on our website.

Other Reports
Florida Public Service Commission, Reports and Other Resources
2023 Annual Report, Florida Public Service Commission, 2023
A complete list of Florida Auditor General reports is available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
U.S. Department of Energy

Applicable Statutes

Chapters 350 (Florida Public Service Commission), 364 (Communications Services), 365 (Use of Telephones and Facsimile Machines), 366 (Public Utilities), 367 (Water and Wastewater Systems), 368 (Gas Transmission and Distribution), 403 Part II (Electrical Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting), 403 Part VI (Water Supply; Water Treatment Plants), 403 Part VIII (Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Siting), and 427 Part II (Telecommunication Access System), Florida Statutes

Commission Contact Information

Florida Public Service Commission Contact Website
Florida Public Service Commission
2540 Shumard Oak Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0850
(800) 342-3552
Website