ABOUT THE PSC
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HISTORY OF THE PSC

The Public Service Commission was originally created to regulate the railroad industry in Florida.

The PSC, created by the Florida Legislature in 1887, was originally called the Florida Railroad Commission. The primary purpose of the Commission was the regulation of railroad passenger and freight rates and operations. The Legislature abolished the Commission in 1891, but re-established it in 1897.

As Florida's population grew and its industry base diversified, the Legislature conferred upon the Commission additional responsibilities. These ever changing charges include periods of both regulatory expansion and deregulation. Regulatory authority over various industries began as follows:

  • 1911 Telephone & Telegraph
  • 1929 Motor Carrier Transportation
  • 1951 Investor-Owned Electrics
  • 1952 Natural Gas 1959 Water and Wastewater
  • 1972 Airlines

In 1974 the Legislature gave the Commission rate structure jurisdiction over municipal and rural cooperative electric utilities. Due to deregulation, the Commission lost jurisdiction over airlines in 1978. In 1980, motor carriers were deregulated; five years later, railroads were deregulated. The Commission received safety jurisdiction over all electric utilities in 1986. And in 1995, legislation was approved allowing competition for local exchange telephone service.

In 2011, legislation was approved that reduced the Commission’s jurisdiction over the telecommunications industry.
The Commission retains the authority to ensure that incumbent local exchange carriers meet their obligation to provide unbundled access, interconnection, and resale to competitive local exchange companies in a nondiscriminatory manner. The Commission oversees the federal Lifeline Assistance program in Florida, and the administration of a statewide telecommunications access system to provide Telecommunications Relay Services for the deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech impaired.

Contact Information

Florida Public Service Commission
2540 Shumard Oak Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0850

Local Consumer Assistance Line: 1-850-413-6100
Toll Free Consumer Assistance Line: 1-800-342-3552
PSC Media Contact Line: 1-850-413-6482
PSC Media Contact email address:
PSCMedia@psc.state.fl.us
Toll Free Fax: 1-800-511-0809

Contact email address: contact@psc.state.fl.us
Web Page Address: floridaPSC.com

INFORMATION DIRECTORY
COMMISSIONERS
Andrew Giles Fay - 850-413-6046

Eddie Phillips - Chief Advisor to the Commissioner - 850-413-6034
Veronica Washington - Executive Assistant to the Commissioner - 850-413-6036

Art Graham - 850-413-6040

Jim Varian - Chief Advisor to the Commissioner - 850-413-6022
Betty Leland - Executive Assistant to the Commissioner - 850-413-6024

Mike La Rosa - Chairman - 850-413-6044

Ana Ortega - Chief Advisor to the Chairman - 850-413-6016
Cristina Slaton - Executive Assistant to the Chairman - 850-413-6018

Gary F. Clark - 850-413-6038

Amanda Marsh - Chief Advisor to the Commissioner - 850-413-6002
Hannah Barker - Executive Assistant to the Commissioner - 850-413-6004

Gabriella Passidomo Smith - 850-413-6042

Katherine Fleming - Chief Advisor to the Commissioner - 850-413-6028
Angelena McCoy - Executive Assistant to the Commissioner - 850-413-6030

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Braulio L. Baez - 850-413-6463
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ADMINISTRATIVE: Apryl Lynn - 850-413-6345
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/TECHNICAL: Mark Futrell - 850-413-6055
GENERAL COUNSEL: Adria E. Harper - 850-413-6199
INSPECTOR GENERAL : Valerie J. Peacock - 850-413-6071

DIVISION DIRECTORS AND OFFICE HEADS

Office of Industry Development & Market Analysis - Cayce Hinton, Director - 850-413-7160
Division of Accounting & Finance - Mark Cicchetti, Director - 850-413-6066
Division of Administrative & IT Services - Bobby Maddox, Director - 850-413-6330
Division of Auditing & Performance Analysis - Curt Mouring, Director - 850-413-6854
Office of Commission Clerk - Adam Teitzman, Director - 850-413-6770
Office of Consumer Assistance & Outreach - Cynthia Muir, Director - 850-413-6482
Division of Economics - Elisabeth Draper, Director - 850-413-6410
Division of Engineering - Tom Ballinger, Director - 850-413-6910
PSC Media Contact email address - PSCMedia@psc.state.fl.us
Search for other PSC Staff
Commission Fax Number - 800-511-0809

MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS

COMMISSION MISSION STATEMENT
To facilitate the efficient provision of safe and reliable utility services at fair prices.

COMMISSION GOALS
The Commission fulfills this mission by pursuing a number of goals, as follows:

GOALS FOR ECONOMIC REGULATION
To the extent possible, streamline regulatory requirements to provide an open, accessible and efficient regulatory process that is fair and unbiased.
Provide a regulatory process that results in fair and reasonable rates while offering rate base regulated utilities an opportunity to earn a fair return on their investments.
Encourage efficiency and innovation among regulated utilities.
Encourage and facilitate responsible use of resources and technology in the provision and consumption of utility services.

GOALS FOR REGULATORY OVERSIGHT
Identify and address regulatory barriers that impede the development of competitive telecommunications markets, as directed by law.
Provide appropriate regulatory oversight to protect consumers.
Ensure that all entities providing utility services to consumers comply with all appropriate requirements subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction.

GOALS FOR SERVICE REGULATION AND CONSUMER ASSISTANCE
Facilitate the provision of safe utility services at levels of quality and reliability that comply with established industry standards and practices.
Inform utility consumers regarding utility matters.
Expedite resolution of disputes between consumers and utilities.

OVERVIEW AND KEY FACTS
The work of the Florida Public Service Commission is a balancing act. The Commission must balance the needs of a utility and its shareholders with the needs of consumers. Traditionally, the Commission achieved this goal by establishing exclusive utility service territories, regulating the rates and profits of a utility, and placing an affirmative obligation on the utility to provide service to all who requested it. For electric and water customers in the state, many of the Commission's traditional methods for achieving the balance continue today. Legislative action during the 1995 session to open up the local telephone market to increased competition, however, calls for the Commission to facilitate entry of new firms into the local telephone market, while at the same time ensuring that neither the new entrant nor the incumbent local exchange company is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged. Section 364.01(4), F.S., calls for the Commission to exercise its jurisdiction to encourage and promote competition. The Commission's role in the increasingly competitive telephone industry remains one of balance.
What Does The PSC Do?
The Florida Public Service Commission is committed to making sure that Florida's consumers receive some of their most essential services -- electric, natural gas, telephone, water, and wastewater -- in a safe, reasonable, and reliable manner. In doing so, the PSC exercises regulatory authority over utilities in one or more of three key areas: rate base/economic regulation; competitive market oversight; and monitoring of safety, reliability, and service issues.
In 2024, the PSC regulated:

  • 4 investor-owned electric companies,
  • 5 investor-owned natural gas utilities, and
  • 153 investor-owned water and/or wastewater utilities
  • and had competitive market oversight for
  • 276 telecommunications companies in Florida.
While the PSC does not fully regulate publicly owned municipal or cooperative electric utilities, the Commission does have jurisdiction, with regard to rate structure, territorial boundaries, bulk power supply operations and planning, over 35 municipally owned electric systems and 18 rural electric cooperatives. The PSC has jurisdiction, with regard to territorial boundaries and safety, over 27 municipally owned natural gas utilities and 4 gas districts. In addition, the Commission exercises safety authority over all electric and natural gas systems operating in the state. For information on services the PSC does and does not regulate, see our brochure entitled When to Call the PSC.
Whenever a jurisdictional rate-base-regulated gas, electric, water or wastewater company wants to change its rates, it must receive permission from the PSC. The PSC then investigates its request and sets new rate levels if the request is valid. The investigation is extensive, with many PSC staff members helping the Commission assess the company's request. The Public Service Commission has the responsibility to set rates that are fair, just and reasonable. It is also required to set rates to allow utility investors an opportunity to earn a reasonable return on their investment.
The Public Service Commission consists of five members selected for their knowledge and experience in one or more fields substantially related to the duties and functions of the Commission. These fields include economics, accounting, engineering, finance, natural resource conservation, energy, public affairs, and law.

The Chairman is the chief administrative officer of the Commission, presiding at all hearings and conferences when present, setting Commission hearings, and performing those duties prescribed by law. In the Chairman's absence, the senior member of the Commission panel presides. The Chairman is elected by the Commission pursuant to law.

The Governor appoints a Commissioner from nominees selected by the Public Service Commission Nominating Council. Commissioners must also be confirmed by the Florida Senate. Prior to 1979, three Commissioners were elected in a statewide election. The 1978 Legislature changed the Commission to a five-member appointed board.
As part of its investigation in rate cases, the PSC often holds a service hearing within the utility's service area, so that the Commissioners can hear from the public. Customers may comment or ask questions on the proposed rates or make any other statements relating to the utility's operations. The Public Counsel, who is appointed by the Florida Legislature, represents customers at rate case hearings.

In some water and wastewater rate cases, a utility may specifically request that the Commission process its petition for rate relief using the agency’s proposed action procedure, as prescribed by Commission rule (25-22.0407 (8), Florida Administrative Code). In these rate cases, designed to avoid costs for utility customers, a customer meeting is conducted by Commission staff to receive valuable customer input about service quality and other issues.
Following customer hearings, technical hearings similar to courtroom proceedings are held in which evidence is presented by expert witnesses in support of each viewpoint represented. Witnesses are cross-examined by the utility, intervenors, staff, and the Public Counsel's Office. This information is utilized by the Commission when it evaluates company requests.
The utility is required to justify all of its expenses for the operations of the utility. An expense that the Commission determines to be improper, imprudent, or unnecessary is disallowed and is excluded from the amount the utility is allowed to collect from customers.

The Commission also looks at the amount utility stockholders have invested in utility plant and other facilities and allows a reasonable return on the investment necessary to provide good service.

After all evidence is presented, the Commission reviews the record that has been developed and renders a decision. The decision it makes will determine the level of rates the company will be permitted to collect.

Rates are calculated to generate revenues that allow a company the opportunity to earn the amount needed for the approved expenses plus the authorized return. However, there is no guarantee that the authorized return will be achieved.

Once the final order is issued, the Commission's decision can be appealed to the state's appellate court system.
The Public Service Commission has staff who will assist you if you are unable to resolve a problem with your utility company. The PSC's Office of Consumer Assistance & Outreach protects consumers from unjust utility practices and helps solve problems and answer questions. If you have a problem with your service, billing, or rates, first attempt to resolve it with the company. Then give that company adequate time to correct the problem. If you still need help, call the Office of Consumer Assistance & Outreach in Tallahassee. The consumer assistance number is 1-800-342-3552, or fax at 1-800-511-0809. Consumer assistance can also be obtained via E- mail at: contact@psc.state.fl.us. Or write to the: Florida Public Service Commission, Office of Consumer Assistance & Outreach, 2540 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0850. An analyst will be glad to help you.

Visit our Contact Information page for directions to the PSC and more.