CLEARWATER, Fla. — The city is considering a move that could end the 30-year relationship with Duke Energy.
A decision later today by the city council could spark a revolution in how this city is powered.
Mayor Bruce Rector is moving forward to vote on a study that could lead to Clearwater generating its own electricity.
The study, estimated to cost half a million dollars, will explore the technical and financial feasibility of the city running its own utility company. With the current contract with Duke Energy expiring in December 2025, the city is looking at all options. Mayor Bruce Rector says residents are frustrated seeing their utility bills spike and seeing dozens of trees cut down on private property.
Rector says this study is an investment that will shine a light on two major things — would it be practical to do and would it be cheaper than sticking with Duke Energy?
“We hear citizens often want power lines buried because of our storm risk here, especially during hurricanes and then the rates, the rate increase is something that concerns folks, so I think our citizens here are in favor of at least looking at it,” Rector said.
Duke Energy says they have an army of resources that can assist with outages after a major storm or hurricane. They hope their relationship with the city of Clearwater continues for decades to come.
Clearwater already manages its own gas supply, and officials are optimistic about the potential savings for electric customers. The council vote on the study is set for tonight.