Pinellas Republican state lawmakers say the gloves are off regarding Duke Energy and the PSC

[bananas]

Source: Creative Loafing Tampa

Paraphrasing the Howard Beale character from 1976's Network, Clearwater area state Senator Jack Latvala said today that he's "mad as heck and I'm not going to take it anymore" when it comes to the excesses of Duke Energy and the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).

But a leading energy advocate in Florida still says the veteran Pinellas lawmaker's new proposal to rein in Duke and the equally controversial PSC is still not hard-hitting enough.

Flanked by state Representatives Kathleen Peters and Larry Ahern to his left and GOP House candidates Chris Sprowles and Chris Latvala to his right at a Sonny's Bar-B-Q in Largo, Latvala said he and his colleagues had been "besieged" over the past few weeks by their constituents regarding several issues concerning Duke, the exclusive energy provider in Pinellas County and up the west coast of Florida.

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The announcement was made at a Sonny's Bar-B-Q because Latvala said that Duke had recently informed the owner of the Largo eatery that his security deposit was going to rise from $7,345 a month to $24,605, the third time the Senator said that his office had learned of deposit issues with Duke this year.

But the issue that has seemed to galvanized Republicans to join Pinellas County Democrats in jointly denouncing Duke has been the recent situation regarding the utility's changes to its meter-reading process. That led to changes to their billing process that resulted in serious increases in some customers' energy bills. Senator Latvala said when he learned that was happening, he contacted Alex Glenn, Duke's CEO in Florida, to have him voluntarily discontinue the practice.

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But Duke has no desire to return $54 million it has collected from consumers for nuclear equipment for the now-canceled Levy County nuclear power plant proposal that will never be built. Calling it "ridiculous," Latvala hinted that issue may be inserted into the proposed bill if the PSC doesn't make Duke refund the money (which they are not expected to do).

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Read more: http://cltampa.com/politicalanimal/archives/2014/09/30/pinellas-republican-state-lawmakers-say-the-gloves-are-off-regarding-duke-energy-and-the-psc

[bananas]

1. Jack Latvala and other lawmakers have strong words for Duke Energy

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/jack-latvala-and-other-lawmakers-have-strong-words-for-duke-energy/2200062

Jack Latvala and other lawmakers have strong words for Duke Energy
Ivan PennIvan Penn, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 30, 2014 1:06pm

Lawmakers fired some of their harshest criticism at Duke Energy Florida on Tuesday, promising legislation that could ban political contributions from utilities and end some "unconscionable" billing practices.

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It's all coming to the forefront during a pivotal week for Duke.

On Thursday, the state Public Service Commission will consider a $1.5 billion natural gas plant Duke wants to build at ratepayer expense. The commission also will decide whether to order Duke to credit more than $54 million it collected from ratepayers to purchase nuclear equipment that was never produced for the now-canceled Levy County nuclear project.

In all, customers are on the hook for $3.2 billion related to two nuclear power plants that Duke either broke or canceled. Duke's 1.7 million customers never received a kilowatt of electricity from the plants for that money.

Latvala said he has for years given deference to Duke, trusting the utility to be a good corporate citizen. But after a series of blunders by the utility, he said "enough is enough."

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[TheNutcracker]

2. This shit has been going on, and it's election season. Maybe Jack is tired of his bill?

And just look at TECO ten miles away. They are doing their largest solar project at Tampa Intl' Airport, and the customers will benefit from the production.

It's like another world, just ten miles away. Look, it IS the republicans that allowed all of the shenanigans to take place. They've been in power for over 16 years now. I don't care if Jack Latvala is screaming now. He'll probably move to Tampa now, with the new TECO solar project.

[Maynar]

3. If Latvala had any balls

he would at least quote Howard Beale correctly.

Milquetoast.

[Nativechef]

4. Don't care for the grandstanding.....

but something needs to be done about Duke Energy. As a forced customer, my residential rates have risen 11% in the last 18 months and very soon there going to go up again by another 7%. The part that really sucks is that the state legislators have willfully sat by and let this happen with not so much as a peep from any of them until now, which by happenstance seems to be affecting them now. Duke Energy buying out Progress Energy was a grave mistake and those of that knew it said so loudly, only to be ignored. Those of us on the Central West Coast of Florida are paying a hefty price for a string of bad decisions in Tallahassee, we're seeing not only electric rates increase but also water and sewage rates as well and it seems to be happening with impunity. The county I reside in is putting forth an additional 5 cent a gallon fuel tax in order to off set the current reduction on auto registration and licensing fees in order to maintain roads and bridges, which means that we'll be the most expensive county in the state for fuel. We've seen our property taxes rise and public services cut to the bone. All this can be attributed directly to Rick Scott and the GOP controlled state house and senate and frankly it sucks...........................

[Kelvin Mace]

5. Wow, harsh words

That'll hurt their feelings big time.