Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschAugust 16, 2016

Florida candidates and committees collected more than $10.5 million in contributions for the July 30 through Aug. 5 reporting period, though a lot of that money can be tagged to a handful of players. More than a quarter of that total came from utility companies pumping money into “Consumers for Smart Solar,” the committee backing […]

Peter SchorschAugust 15, 2016

The committee backing the solar power amendment on the November 2016 ballot raised nearly $2.8 million over two days to start the month after posting no contributions since June. Consumers for Smart Solar has raised more than $18.8 million since it began operations in July 2015, mainly through massive support from the utility industry. As […]

Staff ReportsAugust 9, 2016

In a pro forma move, the Public Service Commission Tuesday OK’d Duke Energy Florida‘s plan to charge customers for its nuclear energy costs. The commission unanimously approved the roughly $52 million in recovery in a five-minute hearing on the request for next year. The utility will use the money to defray costs from shutting down its Crystal River […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 8, 2016

Small firms stayed busy during the second quarter of 2016, despite each reporting earnings of less than $100,000 in the three-month period. Stuart K. Brown’s SKB Consulting reported earning between $50,000 and $99,999 during the second quarter. The firm reported similar earnings in the first quarter of the year. Brown’s clients include the Consortium of […]

Mitch PerryJuly 14, 2016

The League of Women Voters in Florida is going big on solar power this year. They’re putting their political muscle behind supporting one solar constitutional amendment on the ballot next month, while opposing another such measure in November. And somewhat outside their normal lane, they’re also going to organize solar co-ops to negotiate steep discounts on rooftop solar for homeowners across the state. […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2016

Consumers for Solar Choice, the group behind the controversial solar power amendment that will go before Florida voters in November, has raised their most campaign contributions to date in April, bringing in $8,521,125 — by far their largest one-month total since kicking off their campaign last July. That $8.5 million came from just 14 different contributors, […]

Peter SchorschMay 6, 2016

On Wednesday, Robert Trigaux penned a column asking “three pointed questions” for Duke Energy in the fallout of a flat quarterly earnings report and its annual shareholder meeting in Charlotte, N.C. Trigaux prefaces his piece by proposing a mild winter is what brought lower demand for power – hence the softer earnings report. Next, he […]

Julie DelegalApril 17, 2016

Jim Kallinger and Dick Batchelor wrote in Context Florida last week that voters should support “Amendment 1,” which seeks to regulate solar energy in Florida. They disclose at the end of the article that they work for “Consumers for Smart Solar.” But voters may not know that “Consumers for Smart Solar” is a bankrolled front […]

Mitch PerryMarch 30, 2016

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An activist group is running a radio ad in the Tampa Bay area questioning St. Petersburg-based state Sen. Jeff Brandes’ ethics. The 60-second spot from Florida Strong is called “Let’s Make a (corrupt) Deal.” It attacks the Pinellas Republican for receiving campaign contributions from companies such as Duke Energy and insurance lobbyists, and then claims that he […]

Associated PressMarch 21, 2016

Duke Energy Corp. said Monday it is expanding its renewable energy from livestock waste, adding poop power to investments the country’s largest electric company has made in whirring wind turbines and acres of solar arrays. The Charlotte-based utility said it contracted with Carbon Cycle Energy, which will build and own a North Carolina plant that […]

Tag: Duke Energy
Listen to Tom Leek's first radio ad.

Utilities, trial lawyers give big in recent reporting period

Solar amendment supporters shine, raise $2.8M in 2 days

PSC approves Duke nuke fees

Boutique lobbying firms packed a big punch in second quarter of 2016

League of Women Voters going all in on solar power in Florida this year

‘Consumers for Smart Solar’ initiative brings in more than $8.5 million in April

Responding to Times reporter Robert Trigaux’s ‘three pointed questions’ for Duke Energy

Julie Delegal: Pro-solar consumers beware: Vote no on Amendment 1

Radio ad blasts Jeff Brandes on ethics

Duke Energy signs deal to turn pig poop into electricity