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Editorial: At PSC, a lone voice for public

 
Published Oct. 18, 2013

Just who does Florida Public Service Commission member Eduardo Balbis think he is? As the only vote against forcing Duke Energy customers to pay $3.2 billion to help cover the utility's nuclear mistakes, Balbis embraced the public interest. The nerve of that guy.

Balbis was on the losing end of a 4-1 PSC vote to approve a one-sided settlement with Duke Energy. The utility will collect $3.2 billion from its customers to help pay for costs tied to the botched repair job of the closed Crystal River nuclear power plant and the abandoned plan to build another nuclear plant in Levy County. PSC members Julie Brown, Lisa Edgar, Art Graham and Ronald Brise followed the playbook and approved the deal that ends further investigation into what really happened and puts ratepayers on the hook for the mistakes of Duke and its predecessor.

Balbis actually pushed for more expert testimony, further documentation of Duke's claim and additional explanations from the company about its decision to close the Crystal River plant. Maybe it is his experience as a football referee that led him to look at this deal more objectively and throw a flag. No matter. The game played out as expected. The overwhelming favorite easily won on its home field at the PSC. Again.