How a Florida Energy Challenge Flew Underneath the Regulatory Radar
“The full vitality policy dynamic in Florida has alienated the public curiosity,” said E. Leon Jacobs Jr., a former chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission who was elected president of the Southern Alliance for Thoroughly clean Electrical power, a nonprofit environmental corporation, in September 2020. “There certainly ended up issues and troubles that ought to have been created in regard to that transmission line.”
The task will be funded in section by a $692 million maximize in customers’ fees in 2022 — element of $4.9 billion in cumulative level will increase over 4 a long time that the Public Company Fee accredited long just after Mr. Jacobs’s departure. Because of the line’s voltage, the project’s style and suitability did not demand extra in depth critiques by the fee and other condition companies.
Transmission details collected by the U.S. Office of Strength highlights how uncommon 161-kilovolt lines are, particularly around extensive distances. Just 3 % of all transmission lines in the region are 161 kilovolts, and they typical 5 miles in size, claimed Mr. McCullough, who reviewed the knowledge.
The Community Support Commission, accountable for making certain that utility investments are prudent and stay clear of financial waste, declined to remark about the transmission line, its funding or Florida Power & Light’s practices, noting that the level case could be appealed.
The organization claimed it had met its legal and regulatory needs.
“To be blunt, this kind of criticism is misguided and demonstrates a essential deficiency of being familiar with of how the regulatory course of action is effective,” claimed David Reuter, a spokesman for NextEra Electricity, which owns the utility. “The unanimous F.P.S.C. choice on FPL’s price circumstance is the culmination of the customary, transparent, approximately yearlong community method of examining and environment new electric powered foundation prices.”
Richard Gentry, who was named the state’s top purchaser advocate early last calendar year soon after prolonged doing the job as a lobbyist for tobacco, alcohol, horse racing, producing and other industries, reported his business had no authority to question a reduced-voltage transmission challenge.
Mr. Gentry did, however, just take aspect in negotiations with regards to the charge scenario that involved the transmission undertaking. The accredited amount enhance includes a return for the utility that is amid the maximum in the nation and valued at as a great deal as $1 billion additional than the state’s two other trader-owned utilities (Duke Energy and Tampa Electrical).
“The full vitality policy dynamic in Florida has alienated the public curiosity,” said E. Leon Jacobs Jr., a former chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission who was elected president of the Southern Alliance for Thoroughly clean Electrical power, a nonprofit environmental corporation, in September 2020. “There certainly ended up issues and troubles that ought to have been created in regard to that transmission line.”
The task will be funded in section by a $692 million maximize in customers’ fees in 2022 — element of $4.9 billion in cumulative level will increase over 4 a long time that the Public Company Fee accredited long just after Mr. Jacobs’s departure. Because of the line’s voltage, the project’s style and suitability did not demand extra in depth critiques by the fee and other condition companies.
Transmission details collected by the U.S. Office of Strength highlights how uncommon 161-kilovolt lines are, particularly around extensive distances. Just 3 % of all transmission lines in the region are 161 kilovolts, and they typical 5 miles in size, claimed Mr. McCullough, who reviewed the knowledge.
The Community Support Commission, accountable for making certain that utility investments are prudent and stay clear of financial waste, declined to remark about the transmission line, its funding or Florida Power & Light’s practices, noting that the level case could be appealed.
The organization claimed it had met its legal and regulatory needs.
“To be blunt, this kind of criticism is misguided and demonstrates a essential deficiency of being familiar with of how the regulatory course of action is effective,” claimed David Reuter, a spokesman for NextEra Electricity, which owns the utility. “The unanimous F.P.S.C. choice on FPL’s price circumstance is the culmination of the customary, transparent, approximately yearlong community method of examining and environment new electric powered foundation prices.”
Richard Gentry, who was named the state’s top purchaser advocate early last calendar year soon after prolonged doing the job as a lobbyist for tobacco, alcohol, horse racing, producing and other industries, reported his business had no authority to question a reduced-voltage transmission challenge.
Mr. Gentry did, however, just take aspect in negotiations with regards to the charge scenario that involved the transmission undertaking. The accredited amount enhance includes a return for the utility that is amid the maximum in the nation and valued at as a great deal as $1 billion additional than the state’s two other trader-owned utilities (Duke Energy and Tampa Electrical).