Defying low expectations that it will actually protect the public, the Florida Public Service Commission sprung a shockaroo yesterday morning by ordering Duke Energy Florida to credit $54 million back to its customers for nuclear power equipment it never received. But at the same meeting, the commission allowed Duke to go ahead and build a new natural gas plant in Citrus County — just as Duke and its public utility brethren (like TECO and FP&L) are attempting to kill energy conservation programs in the state.
Though the PSC's move is against what its own staff had recommended, its individual members are very political, and the tea leaves are totally against Duke as we head toward the November election, based on a series of moves that have angered the public and compelled previously acquiescent legislators to act.
Initially, only Democrats in the Legislature have protested those moves (like nuclear cost recovery fees), but the chorus against Duke and the PSC has grown so loud that GOP lawmakers, who unlike the Dems actually have some juice in Tallahassee, have also turned against it. Hence, the Jack Latvala-Kathleen Peters proposed legislation announced earlier this week that would modestly try to clamp down on some of the excesses that have alienated the public.
Even Pam Bondi got into the act. She hasn't exactly used the bully pulpit of her office to fight for consumers in the way that previous attorneys general have (like Bob Butterworth and yes, Charlie Crist). But this time she sent a letter to the PSC, calling on it to rule against Duke.
Duke is so toxic now that folks like David McKalip are trying to seize on its unpopularity. The Greenlight Pinellas critic called on the Yes on Greenlight campaign yesterday to return a $50,000 contribution that Duke gave the campaign. However Yes on Greenlight says they will not do so.
Of course, cynicism runs deep, and lots of folks are unconvinced that their GOP lawmakers and/or wannabe lawmakers are sincere in their efforts to rebuke Duke and the PSC. We'll see if they're still singing this same song come next year's legislative session.
In other news…
The Tampa Police Dept. says it'll be more effective with a shooting range for its officers that doesn't take an hour to drive to and back. That's why (with the City Council's approval) the department will spend $5 million to build its own facility inside city limits.
It's full-on campaign season. Wednesday night CL attended a political forum that unfortunately contained only Democrats, talking about health care issues.
And with the registration deadline to vote in this fall's election scheduled for next Tuesday, our feature in this week's CL revolves around the intensity to get out the vote among political parties in Florida.
This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2014.