Duke Energy Florida Rate Hike

Image from Citrus Chronicle

A series of public hearings were held by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) to consider a Petition for a Rate Increase filed by Duke Energy Florida (DEF). The Inverness meeting on June 12th was attended by several Sierra Adventure Coast Group leaders.

The Duke Energy Crystal River Powerplant continues to operate Units 4 and 5—two expensive, outdated, unhealthy coal plants. We spoke out on our concern with coal pollution and asked that they begin plans now to retire them by 2030. Duke seeks to charge customers over $50 million in the next two years on equipment maintenance that could be spent on clean energy funded in part by U.S. Department of Energy grants.

Adventure Coast Citrus Student Leader Noa Adera captured the spotlight with her compelling comments to protect our environment. Citrus Conservation Committee Member Robin Orlandi described specific impacts of the pollution to downstream residents in Citrus and urged the commissioners to adopt clean energy instead. Chair DeeVon Quirolo asked for clean energy now and no more coal, and cited health and environmental impacts.

Top to bottom: Noa Adera, Robin Orlandi, and DeeVon Quirolo speaking at the FPSC Inverness public hearing.

Next, the FPSC staff will file a recommendation with the Commission that addresses DEF’s proposed revenue increase. The Commissioners will then vote on this matter at a future Commission Conference. Based on the Commission’s decision on DEF’s proposed revenue increase, staff will prepare another recommendation that addresses the specific rates to be charged to each class of customers. The Commission will then vote on DEF’s rates at a future Commission Conference.  

Sierra Club’s national Environmental Law Program will continue to pursue its legal challenge with an August evidentiary hearing scheduled.