Florida residents are paying significantly more for electricity than they were five years ago. In Manatee and Hillsborough counties, utility customers of Duke Energy Florida and TECO have seen multiple rate increases approved by the Florida Public Service Commission. The question most customers are asking is: when does it stop?
The honest answer involves decisions being made in Washington, D.C. — not just in Tallahassee.
The Federal Policies Driving Up Your Energy Bill
Energy costs are shaped significantly by federal policy. Regulations on domestic oil and natural gas production affect the price of the fuel that generates Florida's electricity. EPA emissions rules have required utilities to accelerate the retirement of natural gas plants and invest in more expensive alternatives. Federal tax credits for renewable energy, while beneficial in some ways, have also subsidized technologies that are not yet cost-competitive without subsidies — raising the question of who ultimately bears the cost.
What Lower Energy Costs Actually Requires
John Peters believes that the fastest way to lower energy costs for Florida families is to increase domestic energy production — including oil, natural gas, and nuclear — to drive prices down through supply. He supports:
- Cutting regulations that impose costs on utilities without proportional environmental benefits
- Investing in grid resilience and modernization so Florida is less vulnerable to storm-related outages
- Developing the next generation of nuclear energy, which produces zero emissions and delivers reliable baseload power at competitive costs
- Ending the regulatory barriers that slow permitting for new energy infrastructure
Florida is a state that depends on affordable energy. Air conditioning is not a luxury in this climate — it is a health necessity, particularly for elderly residents. Congress must take seriously its responsibility to keep energy affordable for the families that depend on it.