Florida PSC News Releases

Florida Association for Community Action Recognized as PSC Helping Hand for June

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:57:23 +0000

Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) today recognized the Florida Association for Community Action (FACA) as a PSC Helping Hand. Partnerships are essential to raise public awareness, and the Commission appreciates FACA’s assistance in helping low-income residents and seniors with utility issues and energy and water conservation practices, and by providing information on the Lifeline Assistance (Lifeline) telephone discount program.
“Because of FACA and its executive director, Wilma McKay, the PSC reaches residents who might not otherwise receive assistance with utility concerns or know how to lower their monthly phone bills with the Lifeline program,” said PSC Chairman Ronald A. Brisé. “The Commission’s ongoing partnership with FACA makes it an exemplary PSC Helping Hand for June.” During two PSC workshops held last year with state agencies and social service representatives from across Florida, the Commission helped organizations connect to share resources and more effectively serve their clientele. To continue the workshops’ success and recognize positive working relationships, each month this year the PSC will acknowledge a partner--a PSC Helping Hand--who has assisted the Commission’s outreach efforts. “We are exceptionally pleased to be named a PSC Helping Hand,” said Ms. McKay. “PSC outreach materials provide valuable information for the low-income customers served by our Community Action Agencies statewide. The PSC creative energy efficiency practices to reduce energy costs and the federal Lifeline Assistance program are very beneficial to our customers.” McKay added, “Community Action is dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other. We recognize that our partnerships with private and public organizations are essential to assisting with the reduction of poverty in Florida.”Look for the PSC’s Helping Hand web page, recognizing outreach partners throughout 2013, under Hot Topics on the PSC’s homepage, www.floridapsc.com. For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

Florida PSC Spotlights Lighting for June Conservation Tip

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:48:42 +0000

To shed some new light on a familiar topic, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) is spotlighting another energy-saving tip for its 2013 Energy Saving Challenge during Florida’s historic 500th anniversary year. Participating residents can save up to 500 kilowatt hours (kWh) or more of energy through December that will save them money and help protect resources for future Floridians and visitors to enjoy for another 500 years.
For June’s tip, the PSC urges you to “light up,” efficiently. According to the American Lighting Association (ALA), “lighting typically accounts for about 17 percent of residential electricity use.” There are easy ways you can reduce lighting energy consumption in your residence without compromising lighting quality or convenience.“We want Florida’s residents to light up efficiently,” said PSC Chairman Ronald A. Brisé. “So check your lighting habits, use lighting controls, and remember to switch out your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs to save energy and money.”Lighting controls are an excellent option for saving energy. Not to worry, though, you don’t have to spend money rewiring your house! Here are a few simple and less-expensive methods from ALA’s website for controlling light to save energy:Turn off lights when you do not need them.Switch out the light bulbs you use the most with CFLs to get the biggest bang for your buck.Use motion sensors that will turn on the lights when you enter a room and turn off the lights when you exit. Motion sensors can even be used to control outdoor lighting.Always use the proper lumens (or equivalent wattage) and most efficient bulb to fulfill your lighting needs.“Florida’s reputation as a one-of-a-kind cultural destination is a testament to its diverse, innovative, and resourceful residents,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “The PSC’s energy challenge will help future generations of Floridians enjoy the great state we call home, and we welcome them as a Viva Florida 500 partner.”Join the PSC’s 2013 Energy Saving Challenge and track your new conservation habits and monthly energy savings. Look for next month’s PSC challenge and visit our website to find more energy saving tips at www.floridapsc.com/consumers/tips.About Viva Florida 500Viva Florida 500 is a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of State, under the leadership of Governor Rick Scott, to highlight the 500 years of historic people, places, and events in present-day Florida since the arrival of Juan Ponce de León to the land he named La Florida in 1513.In 2013, Florida marks 500 years of history and diverse cultural heritage – a claim no other state in America can make – and promotes the place where the world’s cultures began to unite and transform into the great nation we know today as the United States of America.For more information on Viva Florida 500, visit the Department of State’s website on Florida’s 500th Anniversary at http://www.vivaflorida.org/.For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

PSC Encourages Families to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:08:01 +0000

While summer in Florida means backyard barbeques and trips to the pool, June in Florida also begins the start of Hurricane Season. Each year, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) makes sure the state’s electric utilities are up to date in their storm-hardening preparation, and Florida consumers have the safety information available to plan for and handle the impacts of severe weather.
“While natural disasters can be unpredictable and devastating, our best defense is to make sure we do everything we can to prepare for, and swiftly recover from, the effects of severe weather,” said PSC Chairman Ronald A. Brisé. “The PSC is helping Florida’s families prepare by providing vital information that will assist in handling emergency situations.” Families can learn how to protect their homes and loved ones during severe weather by using the PSC’s website to create a Hurricane Plan. The PSC’s “Hurricane House,” in English and Spanish, is an online guide that includes 19 tips to help prepare your family and your home for severe weather, from installing carbon monoxide detectors to creating a disaster supplies kit and dealing with downed power lines. In May, the PSC held its annual Hurricane Preparedness Workshop, where the state’s five electric investor-owned utilities and major telecommunications companies updated the commission on their current hurricane preparedness status. These plans include PSC-mandated storm preparedness initiatives; facility inspections; maintenance and repairs; flooding and storm surge mitigation; wooden pole inspections; and coordination with other utilities, government, and community groups. Utility storm plans are designed to minimize electrical outages and help communities, businesses, and families return to normalcy as quickly as possible. For more information on storm safety and storm-hardening tips, visit the PSC website, at www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

WORKFORCE plus Recognized as PSC Helping Hand for May

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:47:25 +0000

Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) today recognized WORKFORCE plus as a PSC Helping Hand. Partnerships are essential to raise public awareness, and the Commission appreciates WORKFORCE plus representatives’ assistance in educating Florida’s unemployed about energy and water conservation and the Lifeline Assistance (Lifeline) telephone discount program.
“I’m pleased to recognize WORKFORCE plus and its Chief Executive Officer, Jim McShane, as an essential PSC partner in reaching Florida’s unemployed with ways to save money on their utility bills,” said PSC Chairman Ronald A. Brisé. “By helping us promote Lifeline and share conservation information, WORKFORCE plus helps its clientele stretch their money when they need it most.” During two PSC workshops held last year with state agencies and social service representatives from across Florida, the Commission helped organizations connect to share resources and more effectively serve their clientele. To continue the workshops’ success and recognize positive working relationships, each month this year the PSC is acknowledging a partner--a PSC Helping Hand--who has assisted the Commission’s outreach efforts.“I thank Chairman Brisé and the PSC for this recognition,” said McShane. “A phone is essential to connect with potential job opportunities, and the Lifeline program makes it possible for many unemployed residents to keep phone service. We are always pleased to help our clients learn about helpful, money-saving opportunities on their way to gaining employment.” Look for the PSC Helping Hand web page, recognizing outreach partners throughout 2013, under Hot Topics on the PSC’s homepage, www.floridapsc.com. More information on Lifeline Assistance can also be found under Hot Topics at www.floridapsc.com. Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

PSC Customer Service Hearings Set for TECO Rate Request in Tampa and Winter Haven

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:30:44 +0000

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will conduct customer service hearings on Wednesday, May 29, and Thursday, May 30, for customers of Tampa Electric Company (TECO). In April, TECO filed a petition with the PSC for an increase to its base rates.
As of May 2013, a 1,000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) monthly bill for residential customers is $102.58. Using TECO’s proposed increase, a 1,000 kWh monthly bill for residential customers is estimated to be $112.99 in January 2014. The hearings allow customers to comment on the proposed rates and any TECO quality-of-service issues. Customers are invited to attend the hearings at the following times and locations:Wednesday, May 29, 20136:00 p.m. Hillsborough Community College/ Dale Mabry CampusStudent Services AuditoriumDSTU Building, Room 1114001 West Tampa Bay BoulevardTampa, FL 33614andThursday, May 30, 201310:00 a.m.Chain of Lakes ComplexPoolside Room210 Cypress Gardens BoulevardWinter Haven, FL 33880TECO provides electric service to more than 687,000 customers in Hillsborough and portions of Polk, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

Florida PSC Helps You Be Cool and Save Energy

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:31:53 +0000

Knowing that your air-conditioners (AC) will soon be running nonstop, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) is cooling you off with another energy-saving tip for its 2013 Energy Saving Challenge during Florida’s historic 500th anniversary year. Participating residents can save up to 500 kilowatt hours (kWh) or more of energy through December that will save them money and help protect resources for future Floridians and visitors to enjoy for another 500 years.
For May’s tip, the PSC urges you to “be cool and save energy.” Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and leave it there. For every degree below that setting, you’ll use 10 percent more electricity. Set the thermostat even higher when at work or away from home for long periods of time, but no more than five degrees higher. The PSC also urges you to change or clean your AC filter regularly and use your ceiling fan for more comfort. Only turn it on, however, when you’re in the room because ceiling fans only cool people, not rooms. You’ll also want to clear your outside AC unit of plants or brush, so it can run more efficiently. “We want Florida’s residents to be ready for summer weather, and that means more than having the latest in swim wear,” said PSC Chairman Ronald A. Brisé. “It means checking your home’s air-conditioning system and changing your air filters, which should be done regularly because dirty filters restrict airflow and reduce efficiency.”“Florida’s reputation as a one-of-a-kind cultural destination is a testament to its diverse, innovative, and resourceful residents,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “The PSC’s energy challenge will help future generations of Floridians enjoy the great state we call home, and we welcome them as a Viva Florida 500 partner.”Join the PSC’s 2013 Energy Saving Challenge and track your new conservation habits and monthly energy savings. Look for next month’s PSC challenge and visit our website to find more energy saving tips at www.floridapsc.com/consumers/tips.About Viva Florida 500Viva Florida 500 is a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of State, under the leadership of Governor Rick Scott, to highlight the 500 years of historic people, places, and events in present-day Florida since the arrival of Juan Ponce de León to the land he named La Florida in 1513.In 2013, Florida will mark 500 years of history and diverse cultural heritage – a claim no other state in America can make – and promote the place where the world’s cultures began to unite and transform into the great nation we know today as the United States of America.For more information on Viva Florida 500, visit the Department of State’s website on Florida’s 500th Anniversary at http://www.vivaflorida.org/.For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

PSC Assists Miami Seniors During Older Americans Month

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:42:09 +0000

Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) is showing seniors in the Miami area how to save money during May for Older Americans Month. The PSC is partnering with Alliance for Aging, Inc. for this year’s event on Wednesday, May 22, in Miami.Since 1963, communities and agencies across the state and nation have joined in the annual commemoration, a tradition that shows the state’s commitment to celebrating the contributions and achievements of older Florida residents.PSC representatives will be in Miami to distribute conservation information and assist eligible consumers in signing up for the Lifeline Assistance discounted telephone service program. Additional educational sessions are being held throughout the state.The event will be held at the following times and locations:Wednesday, May 22, 201310:00 a.m. Alliance for Aging, Inc. (2nd Floor Large Conference Room)760 NW 107 AvenueMiami, FL 33172For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

PSC Assists Miami Area Seniors During Older Americans Month

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:41:11 +0000

Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) is showing seniors in the Miami area how to save money during May for Older Americans Month. The PSC will host two events on Tuesday, May 21, in Miami and Miami Beach.Since 1963, communities and agencies across the state and nation have joined in the annual commemoration, a tradition that shows the state’s commitment to celebrating the contributions and achievements of older Florida residents.PSC representatives will be in the Miami area to distribute conservation information and assist eligible consumers in signing up for the Lifeline Assistance discounted telephone service program. Additional educational sessions are being held throughout the state.The events will be held at the following times and locations:Tuesday, May 21, 201311:00 a.m. South Shore Community Center833 6th StreetMiami Beach, FL 33139andTuesday, May 21, 20131:00 p.m. Covenant Palms Meal Site8400 NW 25th AveMiami, FL 33147 For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.