FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT

The leader of Florida’s primary electric company, which has been embroiled in controversy over allegations that it backed sham election candidates and spied on a journalist, will be stepping down next month, it was announced Wednesday.

Florida Power & Light customers could face increased electric bills in April after the utility got hit in 2022 by hurricanes and higher-than-expected natural gas costs.

Manatee deaths dropped in 2022 from a record high the year before, but Florida wildlife officials say chronic starvation caused by water pollution remains a major concern.

More than six dozen threatened manatees are currently in rehabilitation centers in Florida and elsewhere amid a chronic starvation problem caused by water pollution.

Along Florida’s East Coast, threatened manatees that are facing starvation are fed through an unprecedented program started last year.

State regulators Tuesday approved utility costs that will translate to higher electric bills in January for homeowners and businesses — and the pain won’t end there.

Manatees that are dying by the hundreds mainly from pollution-caused starvation in Florida should once again be listed as an endangered species.

Lettuce will be on the menu again this year for Florida manatees in an effort to slow the starvation deaths of the beloved marine mammals.

It could be days or weeks before power services are completely restored in Florida as Hurricane Ian makes landfall.

As Hurricane Ian threatens to affect parts of Florida later this week, crews are forming plans of how they plan to help in the aftermath.

Prosecutors have dropped manslaughter charges against three nurses who were present when 12 Florida nursing home patients suffered fatal overheating five years ago after Hurricane Irma.

Florida residents and businesses likely will get hit with higher electric bills in 2023 as utilities continue to struggle with increased costs of natural gas.

While we haven’t had any name storms threaten Florida so far this year, the risk is there.

A U.S. congresswoman is asking the Department of Justice to investigate Florida Power & Light over claims that the utility used “dark money” to disguise sources of political funding and sway elections in Florida, as well as other allegations documented in recent news reports.

Fewer manatee deaths have been recorded so far this year in Florida compared to 2021 but wildlife officials caution that chronic starvation remains a dire and ongoing threat to the marine mammals.

Florida’s largest electricity provider has announced plans to eliminate all of its carbon emissions by 2045 by increasing its reliance on solar energy, including using it to turn water into hydrogen to power its generating plants.

A key to the future of Florida’s electric grid is a device that could be confused for a computer server.

It’s a popular weekend for boaters and a possibly deadly one for manatees.

Wildlife officials working to prevent Florida manatees from starving to death say they’re encouraged that some of the marine mammals’ favorite food is growing naturally in a key area.

A co-owner of the Boston Celtics is donating $2 million toward protecting the Florida manatees and their habitat following two seasons of record-breaking manatee mortalities in the state.

More than 520 Florida manatees have died so this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The unprecedented, experimental program to feed starving manatees in Florida is ending but the greater issue is the polluted water that causes the marine mammals to run out of their natural seagrass forage.

One thing wildlife officials have learned during the winter experimental feeding program to help manatees avoid starvation is that if you feed them, they will come.

Federal officials have reversed a decision to allow a South Florida nuclear power plant to continue running for another 30 years by ordering a new review of potential environmental risks, including those posed by climate change. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued an order Thursday to reverse a 2019 decision by a previous, Republican-led commission to extend Florida Power & Light’s operating license for two reactors at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant until 2052 and 2053, respectively. The new decision shouldn't immediately affect operations at Turkey Point, which is south of Miami along Biscayne Bay.

Environmental groups say Florida’s manatees are dying at a record rate and need federal protection for their seaside habitat.

Strong winds knocked out power for hundreds in Northeast Florida on Sunday while Georgians were warned against nonessential travel due to the potential for icy conditions.

An unprecedented, experimental attempt to feed manatees facing starvation in Florida has started slowly but wildlife officials expressed optimism it will work as cold weather drives the marine mammals toward warmer waters.

Three conservation groups have filed formal notice of their intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency if it doesn't take steps to protect manatees from water pollution in Florida.

More than 1,000 manatees have died in Florida so far this year, eclipsing a previous record as the threatened marine mammals struggle with starvation due to polluted waters.

Downed trees and power lines, power outages, and flooding were reported Wednesday in Bradford County as Tropical Storm Elsa tracked through North Florida.

JEA CEO Jay Stowe told The Morning Show on Wednesday that all reported outages will be addressed, but there’s an order to how JEA restores services, so customers might need to be patient.

JEA, Florida Power & Light and other utilities are ready to restore power in the event that Elsa leaves people in the dark.

Florida Power & Light’s last coal plant in the state collapsed with a flash of explosives and a boom so loud it rippled the polyester roof of the spectators’ tent, where local business owners, government officials and utility employees cheered.

Florida Power & Light has imploded the 495-foot chimney stack of its last coal-fired generating plant.

With natural gas costing more than expected, Florida Power & Light customers will see increases in their monthly bills starting in May.

The proposal calls for a $1.1 billion increase in base-rate revenues in 2022 and a $607 million increase in 2023. Utilities typically use a benchmark of residential customers who use 1,000-kilowatt hours of electricity a month, though actual usage varies widely. Utilities typically use a benchmark of residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month, though actual usage varies widely. AdSuch Northwest Florida residential customers, meanwhile, would see their bills go from $132.41 in January 2021 to $133.21 in January 2022, the projections show. Base-rate cases are among the most closely watched issues at the Public Service Commission, as they involve large amounts of money and extensive financial and technical details.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State regulators Tuesday approved a Florida Power & Light pilot program aimed at adding electric-vehicle charging stations, while also signing off on an FPL plan that will offer help with electric bills to some small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The approval by the Florida Public Service Commission of the pilot program comes as the number of electric vehicles on the state’s roads increases. Regulators needed to approve pricing-related issues, including FPL being able to charge 30 cents per kilowatt hour for motorists who charge vehicles at utility-owned sites. Also Tuesday, the commission approved an FPL plan that will provide 10 percent credits on the energy charge portion of monthly electric bills for some small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, which will cost up to $16 million, would apply to small businesses that meet certain criteria, including a limit on monthly electricity usage.

TALLAHASSEE – A state of emergency was declared Saturday by Gov. Ron DeSantis for eight southern Florida counties because of a growing threat from Tropical Storm Eta, which also could affect northern parts of the state later in the week. DeSantis issued an executive order that declared the state of emergency in Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties, as Eta was moving away from the Cayman Islands and toward central Cuba. DeSantis' order directed Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz to coordinate the state’s emergency plans and to seek federal assistance as needed. Also, to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, the order said the state will activate agreements with hotels for non-congregate sheltering.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Customers of Florida Power & Light and Gulf Power will see slightly higher electric bills in January, after the state Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved a series of costs that will be passed along by the utilities. Gulf residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours a month will see their bills inch up from $140.43 to $140.62. The Public Service Commission held a hearing Tuesday on projected utility costs for such things as power-plant fuel. Tampa Electric Co. announced Tuesday that its residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month will see bills go from $97.69 to $105.25 in January. Also Wednesday, the Public Service Commission said customers of Florida Public Utilities Co. will see reductions in their bills in January.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One of Mayor Lenny Curry’s former campaign advisors is taking aim at the Jacksonville City Council committee looking into the aborted sale of JEA. Baker recently answered some questions about his involvement but refused to discuss his work as a consultant for FPL, saying that information is privileged. In an email, Bishop called the subpoena unlawful and said his client objects because the information the committee seeks is protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. “The City Council should either withdraw or decline to enforce these patently unlawful and invalid subpoenas. If the City proceeds with enforcement of these subpoenas, Mr. Baker will be left with no choice but to seek protection from this unconstitutional intrusion in the courts,” Bishop wrote.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Power & Light has asked state regulators to approve a proposal that would offer bill credits to certain small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal, filed Thursday at the state Public Service Commission, would provide 10 percent credits on energy charges and could take effect in December. It would be available to new small businesses, small businesses that resume operations after being inactive for six months and small businesses located in what are known as “Opportunity Zones” under federal law. Those zones generally are in economically distressed areas. But with utilities resuming disconnections in recent weeks, the Public Service Commission this month rejected a proposal that would have halted many electricity shut-offs for at least 90 days.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With Hurricane Delta expected to make landfall Friday in Louisiana, utility crews from Florida will help restore electricity after the storm. Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida and 10 Florida municipal utilities will have crews in Louisiana, utility officials said Thursday. The municipal utilities are Beaches Energy Services in Jacksonville Beach, JEA, Gainesville Regional Utilities, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Lakeland Electric, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Orlando Utilities Commission, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, City of Homestead Electric Utility and Keys Energy Services, according to the Florida Municipal Electric Association. Florida utilities also have sent crews to help with power-restoration after other storms this year, such as Hurricane Laura, which hit Louisiana. “We know how critical it is to get assistance from other utilities after a hurricane and to pre-position crews ahead of time,” Eric Silagy, FPL president and CEO, said in a prepared statement.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The state Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved a plan by Florida Power & Light to speed up refunds of deposits for tens of thousands of customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. FPL announced the plan last month as part of steps that also included providing bill credits of up to $200 to some residential and small-business customers. FPL said in its filing that the move to speed up refunds of deposits would return $9 million to $11 million to 50,000 to 60,000 residential customers. Ordinarily, deposits are refunded after 23 months to customers with good payment records. The plan is a one-time move that will shorten the period to 12 months.

Ron DeSantis on Wednesday let expire an executive order aimed at limiting evictions and foreclosures. DeSantis on Aug. 31 approved a one-month extension of an order to prevent foreclosures and evictions involving residents “adversely” affected by COVID-19. That order made clear foreclosures and evictions could move forward in circumstances unrelated to the pandemic, such as for non-payment of rent. “(DeSantis') Executive Order 20-211 had provided a limited, one-month extension of state eviction relief to persons affected by the COVID-19 emergency. Florida Power & Light plans to resume cutoffs this month for those who have fallen behind on their bill.

PALM COAST, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is sounding the alarm about a new scam going around that’s targeting Florida Power & Light customers. Once they’ve delivered that warning, the scammers are then telling victims to pay their bills over the phone using prepaid debit cards, gift cards or some other means, the agency said. In reality, FPL does not ask customers to purchase prepaid cards or visit third-party websites to settle their outstanding balances. “A lot has changed in 2020 but unfortunately, the scammers are still up to their old tricks,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. Do not be an easy target.”To learn more about utility fraud and how you can avoid becoming a victim, visit the Utilities United website.

Florida Power & Light said Friday it will offer aid to customers who are behind on their electric bills, as the company prepares to begin disconnections that have been put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. FPL said, in part, it will provide bill credits of up to $200 to some residential and small-business customers. The utility plans to write off the credit amounts as bad debt. Separately, FPL plans to speed up refunds of customer deposits. The moves come as FPL plans to resume the disconnections of some customers in October.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The parent of Florida Power & Light would have paid more than $11 billion for JEA had the city-owned utilitys leadership gone through with a scuttled effort to put the utility up for sale. The bonuses executives were going to get were based on false information provided to the board, Diamond said. I dont think the JEA board knew at the time what they were voting on. Instead, the City Council, Civic Council and Unions hijacked the conversation for their own personal benefit. The disparaging and defamatory political rhetoric towards me by JEA, OGC, JEAs counsel and City Council is transparent scapegoating to everyone.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Power & Light, JEA and Georgia Power crews all know what it’s like to deal with the wake of a hurricane or tropical storm. As Louisiana and Texas grapple with the aftermath of both, crews from the utilities are heading west to help their Gulf Coast counterparts. Crews from JEA left Jacksonville on Wednesday afternoon to answer a mutual aid request from Lafayette, Louisiana. The FPL crews left Tuesday morning from West Palm Beach and arrived Wednesday. Right now, 900+ FPL personnel are on their way to assist in #Marco & #Laura restoration.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. Construction is underway on five new solar projects across Northeast Florida. These projects are expected to bring not only clean energy but jobs at a time when unemployment has hit record highs during the pandemic. The solar projects are part of the power companys 30-by-30 plan to install 30 million solar panels in Florida by 2030. Construction of the solar projects in Northeast Florida is expected to wrap up by the end of the year. Getting these projects underway during the COVID-19 pandemic has created some unique challenges.

Currently, all areas of JEA are prepared to respond to utility service outages should they occur, no matter how the storm’s forecast track may change. JEA anticipates that portions of its service area, especially coastal communities, may experience scattered outages. Text “REG” to MyJEA (69532) to register for the service using the mobile phone number associated with the JEA account. JEA crews will continue to employ COVID-19 safety measures while working in the field, including wearing masks, social distancing and limiting numbers of workers in spaces. Customers may experience slightly longer-than-normal restoration times as JEA crews apply this extra layer of safety to their work.

As some Northeast Florida utilities have resumed disconnections for unpaid accounts, Florida Power & Light sent a reminder Thursday that it is still suspending disconnections for customers who are behind on bills. But the utility said those who need help catching up need to contact FPL as soon as possible. FPL says most customers who are behind on their bill have not contacted the company for help. FPL said in addition to not disconnecting accounts, it will continue to waive late fees and offer payment plans. While we never want to turn the lights off for nonpayment especially during these difficult times we remain mindful that unpaid electric bills are ultimately paid for by all FPL customers, the utility said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – JEA’s Board of Directors on Friday signed off on a plan to close a coal-fired power plant in Georgia as part of an effort to shift to cleaner sources of energy. The city-owned utility and Florida Power & Light have jointly owned Plant Scherer, Unit 4, an 848-megawatt plant in Macon operated by the Georgia Power Company, since 1989. Also Friday, JEA committed to a 20-year power purchase agreement with FPL, which is meant to lower the utility’s operating costs and lower carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 1.3 million tons a year. As News4Jax previously reported, JEA remains on the hook for a financial commitment of nearly $3 billion for Plant Vogtle, a power plant located in Waynesboro, Georgia, that remains under construction. The utility tried unsuccessfully to back out of the 20-year power purchase agreement as the project has fallen behind schedule and costs have skyrocketed.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Lenny Curry on Monday responded to the latest information released on the investigation into the scuttled attempt to sell JEA. NextEra, which is the parent company of Florida Power & Light, handed over the information after getting a subpoena from a special Jacksonville City Council committee investigating the negotiations. Also on the list of those who worked on the negotiations was Bold City Strategic Partners, run by Tim Baker. The special City Council committee investigating JEA is due to meet Tuesday, May 26. A federal grand jury has also issued a subpoena for records related to the attempted sale of the city-owned utility.