SACE Applauds DeSantis’ Veto of Florida Anti-Solar Bill
Bill would have denied energy freedom to some eight-million customers, decimated thousands of jobs, and driven power bills up for all Floridians
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis today vetoed anti-solar bill HB 741, an anti-rooftop solar bill that, if passed, would have decimated rooftop solar adoption in Florida and taken a sledgehammer to solar choice for customers, jobs, and economic development.
In response, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy issued the following statement, “The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy thanks Governor DeSantis for vetoing the anti-solar bill HB 741. The bill would have denied energy freedom to some eight-million customers, decimated thousands of jobs, and driven power bills up for all Floridians. Net metering is a cornerstone policy that successfully supports rooftop solar adoption in the Sunshine State.”
Dr. Stephen A. Smith, SACE Executive Director, said, “No monopoly utility owns the sun, nor the right to use misinformation to raise rates on their customers.”
The regressive bill HB 741 was written by Florida Power and Light (FPL), the state’s largest power company, to gut the state’s net metering policy – which currently ensures customers receive fair credit for the electricity their rooftop solar systems produce. In Florida, rooftop solar:
- provides over $18 billion to the state’s economy,
- supports over 40,000 jobs, and
- is supported by 93% of Floridians.
We at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy previously condemned this utility-led assault on solar choice in the Florida Legislature and applaud Governor DeSantis’ veto today.
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About the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Since 1985, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has worked to promote responsible and equitable energy choices to ensure clean, safe, and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergy.org.