More than two years of studying a city-owned utility ended with Clearwater, Florida, sticking with Duke Energy. Rather than take over electric service, the city signed on for another 30 years with its longtime provider.
The decision gives the city some near-term financial certainty. It also closes off an option that a city-commissioned analysis said might have cut residents’ electricity costs by millions over 25 years.
What happened?
Alongside a memorandum of agreement laying out about $2 million in commitments from Duke Energy to Clearwater, the City Council unanimously approved a new 30-year contract with the utility, Tampa Bay Beacons reported.
A 2024 study ordered by Clearwater found that residents could save millions over 25 years under a city-run electric system. That estimate was part of the city’s review of whether, after its previous 30-year agreement expired, it should break from Duke and operate its own utility…