Kevin Doyle: Lower electricity rates are a daily victory for Florida families, businesses

Florida’s residential electricity rates keep declining, as energy providers embrace every option to ensure reliable, affordable, and environmentally sound energy flows for the Sunshine State.

Using every resource available is a strikingly common-sense approach in an arena that too often gets politicized or overcomplicated, and one would think it should be a standard operating procedure in every state. After all, we meet energy at the light switch many times a day, and it’s too important to be weighed down by draconian measures or mandates that raise prices or limit everyone’s ability to get what they need.

Simple, reliable, and functional will always win, which is why Florida’s strategy of tapping a mix of sources as diverse as solar, nuclear, natural gas, and hydrogen is working. That’s what is meant by an “all of the above strategy,” and it keeps the lights on and the costs affordable.

The economic advantages of natural gas have dramatically reshaped the energy landscape. Domestic energy production has slashed natural gas prices by 63%, resulting in an average annual savings of $2,500 for American families.

These figures underscore the direct benefits that natural gas — as part of an effective and sensible state energy policy — brings to Americans every day. Natural gas has been a huge component of Florida utilities’ ability to lower rates while passing on the benefits to their residential customers. Keeping natural gas widely available even as we develop more wind and solar power is critical because it offers more always-ready power when the wind or sun are not cooperating.

As one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation, Florida’s grid and energy delivery systems are better equipped than those of many other states, such as New York and California, to meet the current and future demands of families and businesses.

While keeping rates low, Florida is doing better than many states at ensuring utilities focus on environmental sustainability and emission reduction. Increasing use of solar electricity, modernizing infrastructure and implementing innovative technologies to improve efficiency are just a few of the enhancements that are helping Florida lead in overall environmental improvement.

As an added bonus, because Florida is implementing logical energy policies that avoid draconian mandates or restrictions, we are also improving fuel generation efficiency, which keeps prices more affordable and energy more reliable.

Florida’s unique environment and geographic location make it more susceptible to hurricanes and storms, so its energy providers are perpetually adapting and innovating to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable service to the growing population. Once again, Florida is showing leadership by modernizing and maintaining the electric grid in one of the nation’s more challenging environments.

What that brings is stability even if the weather brings turmoil, confidence to bolster economic growth, and a predictable investment environment, which means business and industry can operate more efficiently and profitably. As a result, Floridians, new and native, can benefit from a strong economy, job market, and great standard of living.

That’s not the case in every state. Other states are suffering from high energy prices and power outages that can be extremely costly for businesses, industries, and individuals who need their energy to be there when they need it. In other words, it is all the time for every one of them.

By constantly investing and improving our electricity infrastructure, the Sunshine State can and will reduce the need for emergency measures, saving both time and money during crises or the next major hurricane. Florida is ready for now and the future.

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Kevin Doyle is the vice president of state affairs for the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA).