The Issue: Private Monopoly

• High Bills: Duke Energy is massively overcharging us. We pay some of the highest rates in all of Florida, more than $40 higher per month than cities with public power.

• Unreliable Service: Duke has failed to build the resilient infrastructure we need, leaving residents with prolonged outages and unreliable service.

• Cost Shifting: Duke Energy is expanding infrastructure to serve data centers, while everyday customers pay for shared assets that support this growth. With Duke Energy Florida partly owned by Brookfield Asset Management, a major data-center developer, customers risk subsidizing this expansion while Duke pursues higher profits, just as customers have shouldered the costs of failed Duke investments in the past.

• Monopoly: Duke Energy is a private monopoly that residents have no say in managing and no democratic accountability.

The Solution: Public Utility

• Saves You Money: Public power would save residents’ money and reinvest the profits back into our community, rather than going to shareholders.

• Improved Services: A public utility will be dedicated to providing services for residents, rather than enriching Wall Street shareholders. This can include better response times.

• Green Energy: A public utility would give St. Pete the power to invest directly in cleaner energy like solar and make real progress toward the goals in its Integrated Sustainability Action Plan (ISAP), including 100% renewable energy by 2035. Example: Public utilities across Florida are already leading on clean energy, with Orlando, Jacksonville, and the Keys expanding solar and setting ambitious emissions-reduction goals.

• Accountability: A public utility would be more transparent and accountable to our community. Examples: Orlando, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Fort Pierce, etc., hold their board meetings publicly, and community members are able to attend and speak.

Call to Action/Demands of Council: We call on city officials to

• Fully fund and complete the approved feasibility study, including a thorough review of costs, savings, reliability, renewable energy, and the path to public ownership.

• Do not sign a new long-term franchise agreement with Duke Energy while St. Pete is studying our options.

• Begin negotiations with Duke to determine the cost of acquiring the local electric system and move forward with public power if it is in residents’ best interest.