The Florida Public Service Commission has been informed that it is to be investigated by a state law enforcement agency over suspicions that some of its members and staff have been consorting improperly with officials of Florida Power and Light, one of the country’s largest utilities.
Interviewing of PSC officials by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which reports directly to state governor Charlie Crist and the state’s cabinet, was due to start in early September. The inquiry follows allegations that commissioners and staff improperly communicated and occasionally socialised with officials from FPL as they were preparing to assess its proposed $1.3 billion base rate increase. State law bars commissioners from speaking with a utility’s employees without including consumer advocates and other stakeholders when they are preparing to weigh a proposal from that utility, but it does not restrict commission employees.
An internal enquiry at the Commission is already being conducted into whether it was improper for PSC governmental affairs director Ryder Rudd to attend a private party in May at the home of FPL executive Ed Tancer. Rudd later told commissioners about the incident, maintaining that it was an integral part of his job and that PSC matters were not discusse. After an internal investigation he was removed from duties related to FPL’s base rate case and its proposed $1.5 billion gas pipeline.
