TALLAHASSEE – LAWFUEL – Legal News Network – Attorney General Charlie Crist today announced that his office will file a motion to intervene in a case before the Florida Public Service Commission seeking approximately $143 million in rebates for customers of Progress Energy Florida, Inc. The motion to intervene is in support of a petition filed by Public Counsel Harold McLean, arguing that Progress Energy customers have been improperly billed for the company’s use of unnecessarily expensive coal and should be reimbursed.
“Floridians are already struggling with the high costs of energy in our state,” said Crist. “This company had no business putting a heavier burden on its customers.”
Two of Progress Energy’s plants, Crystal River #4 and #5, were specifically designed to burn a less expensive type of coal, which raised the costs of building the facilities. Instead, the company has been burning an alternative grade of coal that is more expensive and has passed the higher costs on to its customers, in addition to the costs of building the plants. The requested refund amount is based on billings by Progress Energy from 1996 through 2005, the period during which the company billed customers for the use of the more expensive coal. Progress Energy has more than 1.6 million customers in Florida.
Crist’s motion to intervene will be filed before the Public Service Commission tomorrow morning.
