Put 'public' back in Public Service Commission

Serving on the Florida Public Service Commission is a great job, if you can get it. And if you can keep it.

Five commissioners are appointed by the governor, and each get $136,000 a year to oversee the state's public utilities. The challenge is to make sure customers get reliable service at a fair price from these powerful monopolies.

In theory, the prestigious panel is insulated from improper pressure and politics, much like a judge.

In practice, some of the political wires have been stripped bare by campaign contributions the utilities have made to loyal lawmakers. Political sparks have been flying.

"You have to look over your shoulder," says PSC Commissioner Nathan Skop, who has dared to speak out against excesses, such as the abuse of corporate jets, a clean-energy program that spent too little on clean energy and a staff that appeared cozy with utilities they were monitoring.

"I'll probably lose my job because I've chosen to do my job," he tells us.

The process is designed to be a step removed from the political fray. A legislative panel sends a list of qualified nominees to the governor, who picks from that list. The Senate has the power to confirm or reject the governor's choices.

Recently, two commissioners appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist were turned down by the Senate, apparently because they helped reject a big increase in electric bills. Skop, who is finishing his first term, heard the message loud and clear.

He and Commissioner Nancy Argenziano are applying for new terms, but they could be replaced by people friendlier toward NextEra Energy (formally Florida Power & Light), Progress Energy and the other big players.

Just when the board was showing some spunk in handling difficult cases, the Senate sent the reminder that independence is a dangerous career move.

Newspapers around the state have expressed concern. As we said in an editorial at the time, "The action made clear the Senate wants a neutered PSC, not one that will defend ratepayers."

More commissioners like Skop will stop the erosion of public confidence. He does his homework and asks insightful questions. After having built airplanes for Boeing and nuclear submarines for the Navy, he is not intimidated by complexity.

All decisions cannot be left to the industries themselves. Market competition is impractical, if not impossible, in the delivery of electricity, natural gas, telephone service, water and wastewater. State government must step in to regulate these services.

The utilities need to make a reasonable profit so they can attract private investment. It's to no one's advantage to put utilities at the mercy of populist politicians who want rates impossibly low. Nor should the utilities be allowed to use their monopoly power to gouge customers.

The board members standing between the competing interests of customers and stockholders must be impartial and informed.

Every utility customer in the state should watch the process of filling the vacancies on the board. Later this month in Tampa, the nominating panel meets to narrow down a list of 55 applicants for seats now held by Argenziano and Skop.

Their names should be among those that will be sent to the governor. If the pair is excluded, the public should demand reforms that will give these jobs more political shelter, even if that means returning to direct elections of PSC members.

Right now, the public interest appears in jeopardy.