PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The group Dump Duke is set to hold a press briefing on Wednesday to address the reasons behind the group's urge for Pinellas County leaders to sever ties with Duke Energy.
Organizers claim Duke Energy Customers are currently facing the highest rates in Florida's history this month.
WATCH full story by Heather Leigh
Tampa Bay 28 has been following the local organization's push for St. Petersburg city leaders to rethink who powers their homes since August of last year.
In September, Clearwater officials discussed potentially severing ties with Duke Energy at a city council meeting.
According to a study done by Concentric Energy Advisers, it would cost Clearwater about $1.1 billion to take over Duke Energy's infrastructure, but a feasibility study done by the city showed customers could save 7% in the first 5 years, and 18% annually over the next 25 years.
Glen Best, a homeowner in Clearwater, thought the money could be spent elsewhere.
"There's a lot of things that could be improved and done, like sewage and roads, or you name it. And a feasibility study, whether it would be feasible for us to take over, you say you're going to spend money — immediately, it's like no, why? There's no immediate benefit for the residents here," said Best.
Megan Panek liked the idea and think Clearwater should do it.
“It could help with the bills, it could help control the bills. Maybe it's only a few dollars the first year, but maybe in ten years, it's significant, maybe it's going to be $200 in ten years," she said.
Clearwater's 30-year franchise agreement with Duke Energy is set to expire in December.
"We already run our own water and trash with no hiccups. We have a hurricane, okay, we have trash out for one day, but they are there the next day doing double time, picking up the pace, getting all the trash," Panek said. "I don't know why we can't do the same thing for electric."
In November, Duke announced a rate decrease, and the Florida Public Service Commission approved Duke Energy’s Request to lower customers’ bills starting in March of this year by about 44 dollars for every 1000 kilowatt hours they use. Some people said they are happy about the decrease.
“It's good to be able to save a few dollars on the electricity bill, and put that towards something else that you need," one homeowner told us.
Others at the time wondered if it was too late.
Jeanne Wade would like the city of St. Pete run their own utilities.
“The bills are just unreasonable and when you look at other counties and other states…we have friends in other states and other areas of Florida and you see the difference," said Wade.
In a statement obtained by Tampa Bay 28, Duke Energy officials said customers will see a temporary rise in their bills for the month of January and February before they see a decrease in March.
"In January, Duke Energy Florida filed to remove the storm cost recovery charge for hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. That’s a month earlier than the company’s original filing. This reduces a 1,000-kilowatt-hour (kWh) residential customer’s February bill by approximately $33 compared to January. The removal of the storm cost recovery charge in February, along with the approximate seasonal $11 decrease in base rates in March, provides residential customers, using 1,000 kWh, with an approximate combined total decrease of $44," said the statement.
The statement also said Duke Energy Florida "only uses ratepayer funds for providing reliable and safe electric services, in full accordance with applicable law."
The press briefing is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Jan. 28 at Williams Park, across the street from the Duke Energy office.
Duke Energy and Florida Power and Light, by far, have the widest reach across the state of Florida when it comes to providing power. TECO provides power to people in Hillsborough County and parts of Polk and Pasco.
This is a developing story. Tampa Bay 28 will provide more details as they become available.
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Heather Leigh was born and raised in Tampa Bay. She’s invested in telling stories from Seminole Heights and Ybor City, helping you find affordable childcare, and improving our roads. Send Heather a message with any ideas you’d like to share.
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