Florida Public Service Commission native order document 03295-2024

FILED 5/20/2024
DOCUMENT NO. 03295-2024
FPSC - COMMISSION CLERK
BEFORE THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
In re: Petition for rate increase by Tampa
Electric Company.
In re: Petition for approval of 2023
depreciation and dismantlement study, by
Tampa Electric Company.
In re: Petition to implement 2024 generation
base rate adjustment provisions in paragraph 4
DOCKET NO. 20240026-EI
DOCKET NO. 20230139-EI
DOCKET NO. 20230090-EI
of the 2021 stipulation and settlement 	ORDER NO. PSC-2024-0160-PCO-EI
a reement, by Tam a Electric Com any. 	ISSUED: May 20, 2024~~--~~-~------~--~
ORDER DENYING OFFICE OF PUBLIC COUNSEL' S MOTION FOR
AN ADDITIONAL EVENING CUSTOMER SERVICE HEARING
On May 6, 2024, the Office of Public Counsel ("OPC") filed a Motion for an Additional
Evening Customer Service Hearing. On May 7, 2024, Florida Rising, Inc. ("Florida Rising") and
League of United Latin American Citizens of Florida ("LULAC") filed a Notice of Joinder in
OPC 's motion. No other party has filed in support of, or opposition to, OPC 's motion.
Parties' Arguments
OPC contends that the anticipated schedule of customer service hearings provides
insufficient opportunity for customer input. OPC states that only one of the three customer
service hearings are designated as "in-person." By way of comparison, OPC notes that in Tampa
Electric Company' s 2009 rate case proceeding, two in-person customer service hearings were
held. OPC alleges that working customers would be unlikely to have time to attend the in-person
hearing scheduled for June 13 , 2024, at 10:00 a.m. OPC alleges that in-person customer service
hearings offer more opportunities for engagement and interaction than do virtual meetings. OPC
specifically requests that the Florida Public Service Commission ("Commission") schedule an
additional in-person customer service hearing after 6:00 p.m.
Florida Rising and LULAC joined OPC's motion. Florida Rising and LULAC add that
many of their members work full-time jobs and are unavailable to attend the currently scheduled
in-person customer service hearing on June 13, 2024.
Decision
There is no statutory or administrative rule formula by which customer service hearings
are set. The Commission establishes each customer service hearing schedule based upon the
specific circumstances of the case at issue. Although prior customer service hearing schedules

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from other dockets are informative, they do not establish hard standards and baselines that bind
future Commissions.
Since 2009, the Commission has conducted several customer service hearings in other
dockets virtually, which allows customers to participate by telephone from any location with
wired or wireless service. Experience indicates that overall participation may increase if
customers are allowed the option to participate in these types of hearings virtually,1 and that
customers may actually prefer virtual to in-person participation.2 Taking into account this
experience as well as historic practice, the current schedule combines two virtual and one in-
person customer service hearings. This schedule affords multiple opportunities and choices for
customers who wish to participate.3 OPC, Florida Rising, and LULAC have not demonstrated a
need at this time to further expand this schedule to include an additional in-person customer
service hearing.
Having fully considered the arguments raised, OPC’s motion (joined by Florida Rising
and LULAC) is hereby denied.
Based on the foregoing, it is
ORDERED by Commissioner Gary F. Clark, as Prehearing Officer, that the Office of
Public Counsel’s Motion for an Additional Evening Customer Service Hearing is DENIED.
1 In re: Petition for rate increase by Fla. City Gas, Docket No. 20220069-GU, Order No. PSC-2022-0276-PCO-GU
(Fla. PSC July 15, 2022) (noting 162.5% increase in total number of participating customers in the virtual customer
service hearings held in the Peoples Gas System’s 2020 rate case compared to the in-person customer service
hearings held in the Peoples Gas System’s 2008 rate case).
2 See In re: Petition for rate increase by Fla. City Gas, Docket No. 20220069-GU, Order No. PSC-2023-0177-FOF-
GU (Fla. PSC June 9, 2023) (noting more customers participated in the virtual customer service hearings than the in-
person customer service hearings).
3 In addition to the in-person and virtual customer service hearings, customers may provide comments by (1) calling
the Commission’s Office of Consumer Assistance and Outreach at 1-800-342-3552 or (2) sending a letter to the
Office of Commission Clerk, Florida Public Service Commission, 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL
32399-0850. Rule 25-22.0406(2), Florida Administrative Code; In re: Petition for rate increase by Tampa Elec. Co.,
Docket No. 20240026-EI, Order No. PSC-2024-0096-PCO-EI (Fla. PSC Apr. 16, 2024). Any written comments
should refer to Docket No. 20240026-EI. Id.

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By ORDER of Commissioner Gary F. Clark, as Prehearing Officer, this 20th day of May,
2024.
GARY F. CLARK
Commissioner and Prehearing Officer
Florida Public Service Commission
2540 Shumard Oak Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 413–6770
www.floridapsc.com
Copies furnished: A copy of this document is
provided to the parties of record at the time of
issuance and, if applicable, interested persons.
CMM

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NOTICE OF FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OR JUDICIAL REVIEW
The Florida Public Service Commission is required by Section 120.569(1), Florida
Statutes, to notify parties of any administrative hearing or judicial review of Commission orders
that is available under Sections 120.57 or 120.68, Florida Statutes, as well as the procedures and
time limits that apply. This notice should not be construed to mean all requests for an
administrative hearing or judicial review will be granted or result in the relief sought.
Any party adversely affected by this order, which is preliminary, procedural, or
intermediate in nature, may request: (1) reconsideration within 10 days pursuant to Rule 25-
22.0376, Florida Administrative Code; or (2) judicial review by the Florida Supreme Court in the
case of an electric, gas, or telephone utility. A motion for reconsideration shall be filed with the
Office of Commission Clerk, in the form prescribed by Rule 25-22.0376, Florida Administrative
Code. Judicial review of a preliminary, procedural, or intermediate ruling or order is available if
review of the final action will not provide an adequate remedy. Such review may be requested
from the appropriate court, as described above, pursuant to Rule 9.100, Florida Rules of
Appellate Procedure.