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Two power companies seeking rate hikes don’t want to release the payroll information for many of their highest paid employees.

The Public Service Commission is asking Florida Power and Light and Progress Energy to disclose the salaries, benefits, and stock options of all employees making over 165,000 dollars. The companies say if they give up the payroll information, other businesses may cherry pick their employees. FPL Spokesman Mark Bubriski said if the company loses employees, rates could increase.

“We want to keep them but if this information were to become public we’d have to go find other employees to keep those nuclear plants running, probably at a higher rate and that would translate to higher rates for customers unfortunately,” said Bubriski.

Public Service Commissioner Nate Skop is upset the companies aren’t playing ball.

“The fact is when this commissioner requests data, we are the regulators. We should be provided the data as regulators. We should not allow the utilities to regulate the commission nor the commission staff,” said Skop.

At four o’clock Eastern time the PSC voted to uphold its request for the companies to disclose the information. FPL and Progress Energy will review the decision and could decide to appeal.