Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonMay 25, 2018

New compensation reports put Johnson & Blanton just outside of the top-10 in legislative lobbying pay during the first three months of 2018. The seven-member team headed up by Jon Johnson and Travis Blanton received between $750,000 and $1.5 million from its 79 principals in Q1, with the median earnings estimate clocking in at $1.25 […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2018

Among the most significant obstacles to strengthening Florida’s electric transmission grid against hurricanes is a lack of access to telephone poles. Utilities rely on thousands of poles statewide that they don’t control. Other obstacles include trimming trees that might fall onto transmission lines. Complaints about those problems featured prominently during Florida Public Service Commission hearings on hurricane […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 4, 2018

Lobbyists for two major players in the utility industry have registered with the City of Jacksonville. Records show Florida Power and Light has engaged Paul Harden, best known locally as the representative for the Jacksonville Jaguars and owner Shad Khan‘s interests. Harden was also pivotal in persuading the Jacksonville City Council to approve a slots referendum in […]

Drew WilsonApril 2, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday that Chinese solar panel company JinkoSolar is building a “state-of-the-art” manufacturing facility in Jacksonville. JinkoSolar’s expansion into the Sunshine State is the result of a deal with utility giant NextEra Energy to supply millions of solar panels to the company over the next four years. NextEra Energy is the parent […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 16, 2018

Florida Power & Light says it’s dropping plans to charge customers for Hurricane Irma costs and will instead apply savings from the recently enacted Tax and Jobs Act to cover the cost. For the average customer, this means savings of about $250. FPL also announced that the tax savings could allow it to continue operating […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 15, 2018

Top Republican lawmakers posted big fundraising reports for their political committees in December, with future Senate President Wilton Simpson leading the pack at $427,000 raised last month. Simpson’s committee, Jobs for Florida, took in 31 contributions from Dec. 1 through New Year’s Eve and a pair of committees chaired by Ryan Tyson – Floridians for […]

Phil AmmannDecember 15, 2017

As Puerto Rico struggles with Hurricane Maria recovery, a 10-person team of experts from Florida Power & Light – the nation’s third-largest electric utility – traveled to the territory last week to help with ongoing energy restoration efforts. Maria hit Puerto Rico Sept. 20 as a Category 4 storm, leaving nearly all of island’s 3.5 […]

Peter SchorschNovember 14, 2017

Top Republicans in the House and Senate brought in saw huge committee fundraising gains in October, with Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson leading the pack with $645,000 raised. Simpson, a Trilby Republican, is likely to take over as Senate President for 2021-22, brought in 75 contributions through Jobs for Florida, including nine contributions of $25,000 […]

Staff ReportsOctober 29, 2017

A personnel shake-up at a Duke Energy tree-trimming subcontractor came at the worst possible time for residents of the Tampa Bay-area. Weeks before Hurricane Irma, Asplundh Tree Expert Co., a “vegetation management” vendor fired its Florida chief. Now the company is accusing him of using his experience — in violation of a noncompete clause — to siphon […]

Scott PowersOctober 10, 2017

Florida’s private utility companies have donated nearly $800,000 to support Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam‘s political committee seeking to get him elected governor, and also have donated another $1.8 million that may have been re-directed to him through other political committees. A review of campaign finance data available through the Florida Division of Elections shows that […]

Tag: Florida Power & Light

Johnson & Blanton clears $1.25M in first quarter

PSC examines progress of storm-hardening Florida’s electricity grid

Utility industry giants lobby up in Jacksonville

Solar panel plant coming to Sunshine State

FPL to pass federal tax cut onto customers instead of raising rates to pay for $1.3 billion Hurricane Irma restoration

Top Republican lawmakers added major cash in December

FPL crews join industry experts in Puerto Rico for power restoration aid

Top Republican lawmakers scored big in October fundraising reports

Duke Energy tree-trimming vendor fires Florida chief at worst possible time — weeks before Irma

Utility companies have contributed $800K, while funneling as much as $2.5M through committees, to Adam Putnam’s campaign