Enough is Enough: Floridians Confront FPL’s Corporate Greed at Public Hearing
- Danika Joy Fornear
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
May 28, 2025, Fort Myers, FL - The people of Florida drew a line in the sand—and they did it right in the heart of Lee County.
Dozens of residents, advocates, parents, and elders turned out to the Lee County Civic Center in North Fort Myers for the first of only seven in-district public hearings on Florida Power & Light’s proposed $10 billion rate hike—the largest utility rate increase request in U.S. history.
They came with signs. They came with stories. And most of all, they came with righteous outrage.
Because this isn’t just about rising bills. It’s about survival.
The Numbers Are Brutal—But The Impact Is Personal
If the rate hike is approved, the average Florida household could pay over $200 more per year by 2027—on top of the $400 increase we’ve already seen over the past five years. That’s more than $600 in added annual costs for basic electricity, while FPL rakes in record profits, including $18 million in 2023 alone.
But as one advocate put it: “This isn’t just math—it’s misery.”
Solemi Hernandez, Calusa Sierra Club organizer and local environmental justice champion, put it plainly in her public comments:
“This is about our homes, our grandparents, our children. It’s about people turning off their air conditioning in the middle of summer because the bill is too high.”
That reality hit home for many. The comment section on her post filled with gratitude—and deep concern. One resident asked if hidden data centers could be driving up costs, while another questioned whether a public utility model would better serve the people.
It’s a conversation we must have. Because the DeSantis-appointed Public Service Commission (PSC) has been rubber-stamping rate hikes for years without meaningful input from the public they claim to serve.
The System Is Rigged—But Today, People Pushed Back
When FPL served 450,000 customers in 2009, the PSC held nine in-district hearings. Now, with 5.8 million customers? Just seven.
That’s not democracy. That’s suppression.
Today’s turnout showed what real people-powered accountability looks like. Speakers included Brooke Ward from Food & Water Watch, Dr. Cindy Banyai of Big Mouth Media, Karen Dwyer from Stone Crab Alliance, and Solemi Hernandez—all of whom demanded the PSC do its job: serve the people, not the monopoly.
Cindy Banyai, also a mother of three, reminded the crowd:
“We are already shouldering the burden of inflation, housing costs, medical bills, and natural disasters. What FPL is doing is not just greedy—it’s predatory.”
What’s Next—and Why This Moment Matters
📝 Testimony Today Becomes Evidence Tomorrow:
What Floridians said at this hearing goes on the record and could determine the final decision. It’s also legally admissible in future appeals if this hike is approved.
🗓️ Next Hearings Run Through June 6th:
Every testimony counts. Every community deserves to be heard. Find hearing details and RSVP at mobilize.us/fww/event/789696
📣 Add Your Voice:
Sign the official opposition letter here: https://forms.gle/o7BipFkKj3h3YTzT8
📬 Send a Letter to the Editor:
Your story matters. It can wake up decision-makers. Share your truth publicly like so many brave Floridians did today. Submit to the News-Press here
The Bottom Line
We don’t accept a future where our elders swelter through summer without AC. Where children do homework in the dark. Where a monopoly’s bottom line matters more than a mother’s electric bill.
This isn’t energy justice. This is extortion.
Let this be the beginning of a movement that not only stops this rate hike—but rewrites the rules that allowed it in the first place.
Sources:
Public comments and testimony from Fort Myers residents
Solemi Hernandez, Calusa Sierra Club
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