SAN FRANCISCO – Clean energy advocates in Florida and across the country were thunderstruck to learn of the Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of a controversial bill written by Sunshine State electric utility lobbyists that would have crushed residential solar in Florida.
And the unexpected veto puts even greater pressure on the governors of California and North Carolina to oppose plans monopoly utilities are pushing in those two states that would hike solar fees and remove incentives to develop the clean energy source.
“We normally don’t associate Gov. DeSantis with efforts to advance clean energy and the fight to combat the climate crisis, which is ravaging many coastal communities in Florida,” said EWG President Ken Cook in a Wednesday email to Canary Media.
“But in this instance, he made the right decision. It is imperative elected leaders and energy regulators in other states reject similar efforts to quash residential solar programs,” Cook said.
DeSantis is one of the most conservative U.S. governors. Many believe he is preparing to run for president in 2024 and has been staking positions far to the right of others in his party to burnish his right-wing credentials with the Republican base. He vetoed the legislation due to economic concerns, not because of the harm the bill would have done to the climate crisis fight.
“The state of Florida should not contribute to the financial crunch that our citizens are experiencing,” said DeSantis in a short letter his office released Wednesday describing the rationale for his veto – fear the bill could hike ratepayer costs.
State utility regulators in California and North Carolina are considering similar proposals, put forth by the big investor-owned utilities, that would stifle residential solar. The Democratic governors of those two states, Gavin Newsom and Roy Cooper, respectively, have solid records embracing renewable energy as an effective tool in the fight against the climate crisis. DeSantis’ veto may add to pressure from environmentalists and the solar industry for Newsom and Cooper to block the utilities’ anti-solar schemes.
“I’m sure neither Gov. Newsom nor Gov. Cooper ever thought they could be to the right of Gov. DeSantis on any issue, especially clean energy and climate change. But that may be what happens if they allow their respective states’ rooftop solar programs to collapse under pressure from utilities,” said EWG’s Cook.
In California, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Power & Electric and Southern California Edison are pressuring the state’s public utilities commission to adopt their plot to eliminate the financial incentives afforded to those who install rooftop solar. The plan would replace the incentives in the popular program with a steep solar tax of around $50 per month. It would drastically reduce the payments these households could receive for solar generation, essentially putting the energy source out of their reach.
The commission is poised to make its decision about the utilities’ proposal soon, but Newsom could pressure regulators to scrap the plan and keep the solar program largely intact.
The North Carolina Utilities Commission faces a similar push by the state’s monopoly power company, Duke Energy, which is asking the commission to impose a new monthly “net metering” bill on the power company’s rooftop solar customers. Those ratepayers – held captive by Duke’s two monopoly utilities in the state, Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress – would face minimum bills of $22 and $28, respectively, under the plan if the commission approves it.
At the same time, Duke is seeking to lower by roughly two-thirds the price the utilities must pay ratepayers for surplus power generated by rooftop solar.
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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
