CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Florida Public Service Commission approved Duke Energy's rate agreement on Wednesday, that's expected to save customers 5% next year on typical residential electric bills. The news comes as the City of Clearwater begins to look into what it would mean to ditch Duke Energy and launch a city-run utility.
The city's 30-year agreement with Duke Energy expires in 2025.
“It’s not about Clearwater vs. Duke Energy," Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector told the ABC Action News I-Team. "It's about analyzing and gathering information to help us just take a look at service to the citizens of Clearwater and to make decisions going forward, whether it’s with Duke or it is to try to start our own electric utility."
They want to help out citizens like Katrina George, who recently told the I-Team about her 2-year plea with Duke Energy for answers and a fix to her pricey and potentially dangerous power surges.
“I want them to know that I’m a customer. I’m a paying customer. And as a paying customer, I deserve the same rights as everybody else," George said. "And if you break something, you need to fix it."
Duke Energy's state president for Florida, Melissa Sexias, told the I-Team, “The voice of our customers is critical to helping us identify where we can provide better service, better communication."
Sexias said Duke Energy respects the city's decision to hire consultants.
“I still stand by the fact that no one knows our system better than us and we’ll continue to work with them," she said.
But Sexias said the agreement that will expire in 2025 isn't about who will serve customers, "It's about how we will work together on the infrastructure that exists and our continued investments within the city boundaries."
Rector said in 2005, the city of Winter Park took over their electric service.
“They've been able to offer lower rates and do some things for their citizens that we would like to do for our citizens," he said.
The city council vote to fund the study in Clearwater was unanimous.
“If the city is actually intent on possibly pursuing municipalization — that’s a very different path. A very different path, because our system is not for sale," Sexias said.
"We don’t feel gathering information is a bad thing or a threatening thing, we just really want to understand the issue," Rector said.
The study is expected to take nine months. Consultants will begin work next week.
If you have an issue with your utility and need additional assistance, contact the Public Service Commission.