St. Petersburg lawmaker seeks major changes to Florida energy policy

[kristopher]

St. Petersburg lawmaker seeks major changes to Florida energy policy
Ivan Penn, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, January 9, 2014 12:33pm


“Florida is in the Stone Age” with its energy policy, Dudley says.

A St. Petersburg lawmaker wants to end the public utility monopoly on selling power to consumers, as well as open competition for development of renewable energy in Florida. If successful, the move could ignite a wave of solar power installations in the state.

Rep. Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg, is proposing two constitutional amendments that would repeal the 2006 nuclear cost recovery clause — which forces customers to pay in advance for nuclear power projects that may or may not get built — and create a market to allow renewable energy producers to sell directly to consumers.

Dudley is drafting House resolutions for the two proposed amendments and also plans a citizens' ballot initiative if the Legislature does not act. Both have enormous hurdles: The Legislature generally acts to preserve the utilities' monopoly control in Florida; getting a citizens' initiative on the ballot would require more than 600,000 signatures.

Current Florida law prohibits any entity other than utilities from selling power directly to consumers.

That law has hampered the expansion of solar energy among retailers...

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/st-petersburg-lawmaker-seeks-deregulation-of-renewable-energy-in-florida/2160295

[djean111]

1. It is a start. Even if Rick Scott consigns this to the dumpster, we will keep on attacking

the monopolies. Eventually, IMO, we will win.

[Cha]

2. Kick!

[loudsue]

3. He needs some kevlar and to stay away from small airplanes.

We know how much the 1% hates competition.