Statement: Legislative Efforts on Fl’s Nuclear Tax
Tallahassee, Fla. (February 21, 2013) – The following is a SACE Media Statement, from Executive Director Dr. Stephen Smith, regarding a press conference held by State Senators in Tallahassee earlier today regarding Florida’s “nuclear tax,” which allows utilities to charge their customers in advance for new nuclear reactors: “We welcome the leadership shown today by four State Senators promising to protect consumers by addressing the ongoing abuse of power and unfair policy whereby Florida utilities are charging customers in advance to build nuclear reactors. This effort, in conjunction with a bipartisan bill in the House, is welcome by consumer advocates. These projects are experiencing extraordinary cost overruns and multiple, significant scheduling delays and simply shift all the financial risk to consumers and away from company shareholders. “We look forward to a robust and full-throated debate on this critical issue and related energy issues in the upcoming legislative session. We are ever mindful of the significant financial and political influence that Florida’s investor-owned utilities, particularly Florida Power & Light, exercise over our elected representatives in Tallahassee. It is vitial that citizens engage with their lawmakers to demand real remedies. “A true solution to this problem must include the following components:
- First and foremost it must protect consumers from power companies that would collect money for plants they don’t intend to build;
- Next, it must address the lack of an integrated, transparent approach to utility planning which had lead to these ongoing issues; and
- Finally, it must address the lack of strong oversight from the Florida Public Service Commission. Their role is one of accomplice in the ongoing fleecing of Florida consumers.
“At the end of the day, we look forward to a successful resolution to this long-protracted abuse of power by ensuring that Florida has a transparent, least-cost utility planning process. # # # Founded in 1985, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a nonprofit organization that promotes responsible energy choices that create global warming solutions and ensure clean, safe, and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergy.org