Alabama Supreme Court Denies Public Access to PSC Fuel Cost Decisions, Rejecting Energy Alabama's Appeal on October 30
Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama — The Alabama Supreme Court on October 30 rejected an appeal by Energy Alabama, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, in a case fighting for public access when the Public Service Commission approves the amount Alabama Power charges customers for fuel.
The commission twice denied Energy Alabama's requests to intervene in Alabama Power's fuel cost docket. Under the rules governing Rate Energy Cost Recovery, the public is entitled to hear evidence and participate when there is an adjustment to fuel costs to ensure these changes are "just and reasonable."
Energy Alabama appealed the denial to the Montgomery County Circuit Court in December 2024. After the Circuit Court affirmed the commission's decision, the group appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court in August 2025, which affirmed on October 30.
Daniel Tait, executive director of Energy Alabama, said the fuel rate makes up almost a third of the bill and that Alabama Power customers pay some of the highest bills in the country. The commission has not held a public fuel cost hearing in 18 years, but the rate has been adjusted at least 18 times in that period, and only two such hearings have been held since the rules were adopted in 1981. Alabama Power's rates are currently frozen.
Source: GSM America
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Alabama State Capitol, Montgomery, South view 20160713 1。来源：Wikimedia Commons（DXR，CC BY-SA 4.0）
