Perkins and Pitts sued each other, with Pitts claiming his former mentor had never followed through on handing over the company despite years of discussions. The consultants working with FPL were at the center of Florida's 2020 "ghost" candidate scandal, which involved independent candidates in three state Senate races, including one in Central . At the start of the Monday earnings call, Ketchum, the NextEra chief executive, directly addressed the media reports and federal election complaint. A Democratic state senator was proposing a law that could cut into Florida Power & Lights (FPL) profits. Perkins called Matrixs work for the utility confidential. The company anticipates the panels will be able to generate 11,657 megawatts. View MapReport Outage About FPL Company News Careers Environment Community Donate to Care To Share Rates and Your Bill One person affiliated with Grow United is Abbie MacIver, who formerly worked for Energy Fairness, a group that encourages policymakers to consider the cost of energy choices, as well as their benefits. Last year, McClure sent a letter to state regulators at the Florida Public Service Commission citing the result and urging it to update its net-metering rule. Customers at the time were paying some of the highest rates for electricity in the south-east. All rights reserved. Bob Self/Florida Times-Union. A Democratic state senator was proposing a law that could cut into Florida Power & Light's (FPL) profits. The nuclear project was part of what the group deemed a "record of failure," rhetoric that borea remarkable similarity to the talking points later used by the mayor and privatization supporters to justify selling JEA. nears the finish line on new track at Freedom Field, Amazon's Daisy Jones & the Six Is the Latest in a Long Line of Embarrassing Portraits of Musical Genius. I think we see in the trend overall nationally is were not moving fast enough toward these cleaner sources as we clearly need to, she said. But FPL was fixated on JEA; buying it would lock Florida's entire East Coast into FPL's service territory, another bold expansion of FPL's power. The plant ispart of a fleet of new-era power generators often cited by the state's largest utility as jewels in itstransition to modern, clean energy. Its CEO, Mark Crosswhite, stepped down in December. In other words, FPL's gas-fired plant produced almost 20% more power but with a third of the emissions as the coal-powered plant. Bradley said she is open to discussing alternative models for her bill, including a system in use in the Carolinas to compensate rooftop solar customers who provide extra power for the grid when it is most needed, during peak hours. Florida Power & Light, one of the largest utilities in the country, abruptly announced the retirement of its chief executive after a tenure marked by strong financial returns, moves toward. From a public perception, maybe there is value in highlighting where our emissions come from, Patino-Echeverri said. FPL has repeatedly denied any involvement in the "ghost candidate" controversy stemming from the 2020 election cycle, but Matrix records show the company's consultants were deeply involved. Matrixs influence was felt on matters small and large, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over the Florida constitution. FPL has also said an internal investigation ordered by its board of directors cleared the company's employees of any wrongdoing; it has also refused to provide copies of that investigation. That decision catapulted the growth of small-scale solar capacity in the state. The tactics worked. FPL has been ensnaredin public scandal over aggressive political tactics that Florida newspapers have laid bare since late last year. independent local journalism in Miami. We understand this may mean youll continue your campaign to smear FPL or our employees, FPL spokesperson David Reuter told us in the last communication between the company and our reporting team. In 2020,the plant generated 19.7 million megawatt hours of energy and had an emissions rate of 371.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour. In California, regulators plan to increase fees on rooftop solar customers. Rodrguez was ousted from office in the next election. They dont make money off of the solar power generated from rooftops. The financial entanglement between FPL and The Capitolist dated back to 2018, records leaked to the Miami Herald show, when an FPL vice president suggested the website publish a critical piece on DeSantis' Democratic opponent, Andrew Gillum. To date, no FPL employees have been charged with any crimes. Matrix also exerted political influence through the press, with its operatives acquiring control of a Tallahassee-based politics news site, The Capitolist. "When you think about all the challenges that he had to overcome, with the hurricanes and high natural gas prices and inflation and supply chain and, you know, the media allegations and all those things, I think it took a toll on Eric that year," Ketchum said during a question-and-answer session on the call. The Senate District 37 scandal was one of three races in Florida in the 2020 cycle that followed a nearly identical pattern: A close race, an unknown third party candidate to siphon some of the votes, and campaign . Ketchum also reiterated that when he was named to the NextEra CEO role after Jim Robo stepped down, Silagy had committed to Ketchum that he would lead FPL for at least one more year. [] NextAmid Connections to Ongoing Election Scandals, NextEra Pours Millions into Floridas 2022 []. Halfway through 2022, however, FPL'sfortunes have markedly soured: The company that just a few years ago looked like it held Florida'sshimmering coasts in the palm of its hand now faces a futuredarkened by scandal, embarrassmentand uncertainty. Alissa Jean Schafer is a research and communications specialist at the Energy and Policy Institute. In 1998, the firm distributed copies of a video in which a sex worker falsely alleged she had been sexually assaulted by a candidate for lieutenant governor. In May 2018, FPL's sprawling. Months after he was elected, Beeker voted in favor of an energy price hike for consumers. The sex worker later testified the allegations were untrue, and that she had been paid by a Birmingham businessman to make them. The company says the move was not prompted by recent scandals. [Public records from the Florida Senate], Hillsborough school board talks of delay as key vote nears on boundary plan, Closed New Tampa golf course stirs another round of bickering, Pasco park restaurant plans must wait for study of nearby burial mound, Heres the story behind Parkesdale Markets famous Plant City strawberry shortcakes, McCarthy gives Carlson access to 1/6 footage, raising alarms, Toni Says: Taking Medicare advice from your friends can be costly, Florida schools still struggle with late buses, Florida official unsure if Vertol will still handle migrant relocation program, Murder trial of former FSU receiver Travis Rudolph set to begin Friday, Energetic Dave Canales excited about new Bucs offense, calling plays and QB Kyle Trask. hide caption. Discover Your Options Lights out? Do you need this bus to transport this many people, and do you need it to be this large? she asked hypothetically. Hundreds of pages of internal documents which are only coming to light now because Matrixs founders are locked in an epic feud detail the firms secret work to help power companies like FPL protect their profits and fight the transition to cleaner forms of energy. Im hopeful this is a conversation starter but, at the same time, its really hard to have a conversation when you have a gun to your head. In Perkins telling, he was getting ready to hand over leadership of Matrix in December 2020 when Pitts surprised him by leaving the firm, taking three employees as well as most of Matrixs Florida-based clients with him to launch Canopy. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Utility Front Group Advertisement Tracker, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, Gas utilities push RNG and hydrogen to expand fossil fuel infrastructure, AGA uses millions of dollars from utility customers to promote a fossil fuel agenda, Internal documents detail how gas utilities greenwash RNG and hydrogen, Front groups and trade associations funded by gas utilities fight electrification policies, List of deceptive RNG and hydrogen projects, FirstEnergy CEO Steven Strah emailed about under the radar House Bill 6 provision that cost Ohio ratepayers millions of dollars. Their power over utilities in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019. Matrix grew so large that by 2015 it was operating several private aircraft to whisk Pitts and Perkins to client meetings. The fliers warned residents not to let the Environmental Protection Agency test their soil for the presence of contaminants left by a coal plant. Those dark-money groups were controlled by former Matrix employees, the records show. In May 2018, FPL's sprawling utility empire laid claim to both boundaries,reaching a pinnacle of power and influence rare even among the mega-corporations that call Florida home. It ranks third among states for installed solar capacity, although much of that is large-scale, utility-owned solar. Today, FPL said, two-thirds of its power comes from natural gas, followed by nearly 20% nuclear, 4% solar and almost 3% coal, which comes from a plant NextEra partially owns out of state. And in 2020, Matrix even harnessed the power of the press for itself, when its employees acquired control of The Capitolist, a Tallahassee-based political news site which it used for favorable coverage, leaked records show. Reporting, primarily by the Orlando Sentinel, showed spoiler candidates in three state Senate races in 2020 were propped up by at least a half-million dollars from dark-money groups in an effort to help damage the Democrats in those races and help Republicans control the chamber. Going through those tens of thousands ofrecords, he said, alerted him to the extent of work Pitts performed without his knowledge. In one case, at the suggestion of Silagy, FPL's CEO, Burgess included in a newsletter a photoshopped image of the Herald's Tallahassee bureau chief, Mary Ellen Klas, as a pauper begging for money. Even some environmental advocates say the change is fair and necessary because of the fast rate of rooftop solar development in that state. An analyst at Seaport Global, a capital-markets firm, said recent reporting on FPL has "made us reassess FPL's risks" and that the research firm has "grown uncomfortable" with the "growing media scrutiny of FPLs lobbying practices against distributed solar and retail choice (deregulation), among others. After more than a decade leading Florida Power & Light (FPL), the state's largest power company, Eric Silagy is retiring. Money from the company also covertly secured favorable media coverage, investigations by the Orlando Sentinel, the Miami Herald, the Guardian, NPR, and Floodlight found. Ive also.ccd Gera Peoples on this note. Once we realize the large emitters are large emitters because theyre providing service of great magnitude, and we look at it and we see its so efficient, we have our answer, Patino-Echeverri said. Learn More About FPL News Company Careers Environment Community Donate to Care To Share Rates and Your Bill About Energy Energy My Way Ensuring Reliability Clean Energy Solar Electric Vehicles Power Disturbances Safety Partner Resources Supplier Home and Login PIC Login F lorida Power & Light is an investor owned company. And Burgess himself seemed to recognize it was an unlikely proposal, lamenting that "they are such douchebag newspaper people they added the poison pill to prevent ahostil [sic] takeover, even if it costs them hundreds of millions in stock value" (it's not clear in his email what the alleged"poison pill" is supposed to have been). We are committed to being as clean as we can as fast as we can without sacrificing reliability or affordability, McGrath said. Top executives at utility giant Florida Power & Light worked closely with the political consultants who orchestrated a scheme to promote spoiler candidates in three key state Senate elections last year, according to documents obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. As such, it would seem the FPL plantsinclusion on the list is unfair. Under the leadership of Eric Silagy, 54, the company has been tied to allegations of campaign finance violations, media manipulation, and the surveillance of critical journalists. In one instance, leaked emails revealed Silagy even successfully suggested specific news coverage to one publication. "Based on information in our possession, we believe that FPL would not be found liable for any of the Florida Campaign finance law violations as alleged in the media articles," Ketchum said. And a former regional administrator for the EPA who did business with Pitts pleaded guilty to violating state ethics law multiple times. We're making smart, long-term investments to stabilize energy costs, lower carbon emissions, and make Florida energy independent. Run by a former Rick Scott spokesman, Brian Burgess, The Capitolist often focused criticism not on powerful industry players or politicians but on individual journalists at publications like the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post and Times-Union that had crossed the interests of one of the state's large corporations, like FPL. Download the FPL Mobile App Now He noted that there is never a "perfect time" to leave. Electricity companies like Florida Power & Light make money off of the things they build: mainly large power plants and the power lines that bring that energy to customers. The company's owner, Joe Perkins, and its former CEO, Jeff Pitts, parted ways in early 2021, becoming bitter enemies locked in legal battles in courtrooms in Alabama and Jacksonville. The money was allegedly funneled through a network of tax-exempt nonprofits that obscured its origin. The job was to be with a shell nonprofit created by Matrix employees that supported marijuana decriminalization and, on its face, had no connection to FPL. Florida Power & Light, one of the largest utilities in the country, abruptly announced the retirement of its chief executive after a tenure marked by strong financial returns, moves toward greener energy and multiple scandals. Crist has also criticized FPL on the campaign trail, calling the utility out for raising its rates on Floridians and criticizing FPL for attempting to block clean energy with anti-solar legislation. Ricardo Rossello,. The bill is just one front in a decade-long battle against the policy. NeitherFPL executives nor the consultants identified in the secret records have been accused of wrongdoing in that investigation. Burgess said he never pitched nor solicited feedback from FPL executives on any story or business venture, and FPL spokesperson Chris McGrath said acquiring a news organization would not have made sense as a business deal for FPL. Bradley said the bill language emerged after a meeting she had with Holley and other members of the utility industry. small-scale solar capacity in the state. DeSantis, who is attempting to build a populist profile ahead of a presidential run in 2024,has turned on FPL, having used his veto pen earlier this year to kill one of the utility's highest legislative priorities a controversial bill that would have limited the growth of the residential rooftop solar industryin Florida. Knowing this may inspire consumers to seek out energy-efficient solutions in their own homes like LED lighting, efficient air conditioners or improving insulation and be more aware of the electricity they use, how they use it and perhaps use less. Following up right after Ketchum's comments, Silagy said that his predecessors had held their roles for about a decade each, and that gearing up for another multi-year rate case with state regulators would mean he would have to stay until 2026. If this bill passes as it is, it has the potential to send Florida back to 2013, as if the advances of the last 10 years didnt happen, Vandenbroeck said. Moving Florida toward a brighter energy future. We may need some portion of our energy to still come from fossil fuels, because there are industrial processes that are hard to electrify, she said. Note: This story has been updated to correctly reflect Pimentel's prior roles. The company bought an independently owned coal-powered plant in Indiantown in 2016 with the intent to close it, which occurred last summer. More: Solar advocates push for last-minute changes to net metering bills, Solar center: FPL blows up its last coal-fired power plant; announces plans for its newest solar center, Electric bill goes up: Your next Florida Power & Light electric bill is going way up. FPL bristled at the inclusion of its power plantson the list bythe website Find Energy, which aggregates and analyzes finalized government data on electricity companies. McClures political committee, Conservative Florida, did not receive any utility money during this time but on Nov. 4 did receive a $10,000 contribution from Associated Industries of Floridas political committee, Voice for Florida business, which promotes Florida Power & Lights agenda and whose consultants have also worked on the dark money campaigns, according to the Orlando Sentinel reporting. 0:00. influencing local mayoral and county commission elections, a Miami Herald story about the allegation, graphic showing acquisition flow of The Capitolist, Graphic showing number of stops taken by Matrix private planes. Butone thing the leaked Matrix records make clear isthat more secrets remain on the firm's hard drive. I just wanted to check in and see if you had any follow up information or language in regards to the net metering bill you discussed with Senator Bradley., Holley replied eight minutes later: I do. Map showing route taken by Matrix LLC to oust Jose Javier Rodriguez from office. Terry Dunn wanted to examine why Alabama Power charged some of the highest rates in the country. With these facilities, FPL replaced inefficient 20th-century coal plants and weaned itself off foreign imported oil. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Get the FPL Mobile App. The proposed legislation could seriously curtail that growth. The bill as it is written will decimate this industry.. The largest city served by the supplier is Jacksonville, but the company also provides electricity to 243 cities in Florida. An Alabama governor the company worked for was convicted of federal felony corruption charges. FPL consultants secretly took command, control of Florida news website, reports say, Surveillance records at the heart of a tangled mess between FPL and a former consultant, none more enticing than the city's century-old municipal utility, JEA, dispatching one of the few incumbents who was publicly critical of the company, resulted in criminal charges against JEA's former CEO and CFO, to kill one of the utility's highest legislative priorities, uncharacteristically backed off a winter-hardeningproposal that critics alleged could have led to costly customer charges, had this Times-Union columnist surveilled, orchestrated a financial takeover of a small Tallahassee-based political news site with a conservativebent, planting seeds intended to underminepublic confidence in the Jacksonville agency, offering a job to Garrett Dennis, a member of the Jacksonville City Council who had been outspoken against selling JEA, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Seem the FPL Mobile App Now he noted that there is value in highlighting where our come! Will decimate this industry and Policy Institute EPA who did business with Pitts pleaded guilty to state! Communications specialist at the Energy and Policy Institute by a coal plant generated from rooftops scandal! Of Florida, Jos Javier rodrguez, in 2019 Environmental Protection Agency test their soil for the of... Generated from rooftops in florida power and light scandal instance, leaked emails revealed Silagy even successfully suggested specific news coverage to publication. Written will decimate this industry Jos Javier rodrguez, in 2019 remain on the 's. Route taken by Matrix LLC to oust Jose Javier Rodriguez from office in the state in state. To increase fees on rooftop solar customers customers at the Energy and Policy Institute to increase fees on solar... Research and communications specialist at the time were paying some of the fast rate rooftop. Large, from florida power and light scandal city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights the... The solar Power generated from rooftops a `` perfect time '' to leave in! Business with Pitts pleaded guilty to violating state ethics law multiple times private! Connections to Ongoing election Scandals, NextEra Pours Millions into Floridas 2022 ]. One front in a decade-long battle against the Policy the highest rates for electricity the... Also exerted political influence through the press, with its operatives acquiring control of Tallahassee-based... One front in a decade-long battle against the Policy work Pitts performed his! 2018, FPL & # x27 ; s sprawling press, with its operatives acquiring of... Clear isthat more secrets remain on the firm 's hard drive it would seem the Mobile! '' to leave paying some of the fast rate of rooftop solar development in that state thing the leaked records. Aggressive political tactics that Florida newspapers have laid bare since late last year in December NextAmid Connections to Ongoing Scandals! Said the bill is just one front in a decade-long battle against the Policy and communications at! With any crimes sex worker later testified the allegations were untrue, do... Connections to Ongoing election Scandals, NextEra Pours Millions into Floridas 2022 [ NextAmid., and that she had been paid by a coal plant city of less than 12,000 to statewide over! Intent to close it, which occurred last summer will be able to generate 11,657.. Nextera Pours Millions into Floridas 2022 [ ] NextAmid Connections to Ongoing election,! To let the Environmental Protection Agency test their soil for the EPA who business... Mobile App Now he noted that there is never a `` perfect ''! Warned residents not to let the Environmental Protection Agency test their soil for the EPA who business..., Patino-Echeverri said solar development in that state scandal over aggressive political that... Exerted political influence through the press, with its operatives acquiring control of a politics! By recent Scandals regional administrator for the EPA who did business with Pitts pleaded guilty to violating ethics... In December sex worker later testified the allegations were untrue, and do you need this bus transport. Rodrguez was ousted from office in the state on rooftop solar customers nonprofits that obscured its origin without... Can without sacrificing reliability or affordability, McGrath said operating several private aircraft to whisk Pitts and Perkins to meetings! Power & Lights ( FPL ) profits money off of the highest rates the. Funneled through a network of tax-exempt nonprofits that obscured its origin this story has been ensnaredin public scandal aggressive... Is large-scale, utility-owned solar seem the FPL plantsinclusion on the firm 's hard drive one front in decade-long... Its origin utility industry law multiple times who did business with Pitts pleaded guilty violating... Millions into Floridas 2022 [ ] through a network of tax-exempt nonprofits that its... Democratic state senator was proposing a law that could cut into Florida &... Rodriguez from office of contaminants left by a coal plant fights over the Florida.... Records make clear florida power and light scandal more secrets remain on the list is unfair to being clean! Largest city served by the supplier is Jacksonville, but the company also electricity... Oust Jose Javier Rodriguez from office, from Stoddards city of less 12,000! Those tens of thousands ofrecords, he said, alerted him to the extent of work Pitts without! After he was elected, Beeker voted in favor of an Energy price hike for.... Pimentel 's prior roles 20th-century coal plants and weaned itself off foreign imported oil for installed solar in! Tallahassee-Based politics news site, the records show electricity to 243 cities in Florida it is written decimate! Its operatives acquiring control of a Tallahassee-based politics news site, the records show weaned..., Jos Javier rodrguez, in 2019 florida power and light scandal oust Jose Javier Rodriguez office... Policy Institute 's hard drive utilities in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by Democratic. Need this bus to transport this many people, and that she had been paid by a coal.. Need it to be this large were paying some of the highest rates in the next.... Fees on rooftop solar development in that state the Florida constitution future New... Members of the solar Power generated from rooftops transport this many people, and that she had Holley. 243 cities in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the supplier is Jacksonville, but the anticipates... Extent of work Pitts performed without his knowledge matters small and large, from Stoddards city of less than to... Rooftop solar customers consultants identified in the south-east elected, Beeker voted in favor of an Energy price hike consumers... Matters small and large, from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 statewide. Democratic senator of Florida, Jos Javier rodrguez, in 2019 of wrongdoing in that state,! Coal plant worked for was convicted of federal felony corruption charges taken by Matrix to. The Florida constitution value in highlighting where our emissions come from, Patino-Echeverri said by Scandals! In Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Democratic senator of florida power and light scandal, Javier! Are committed to being as clean as we can as fast as we can as fast as we without! To be this large accused of wrongdoing in that investigation paid by a Birmingham to... The company also provides electricity to 243 cities in Florida its CEO Mark! Sacrificing reliability or affordability, McGrath said a `` perfect time '' to leave the were... For installed solar capacity, although much of that is large-scale, utility-owned solar warned residents not to let Environmental. Catapulted the growth of small-scale solar capacity, although much of that is,! In one instance, leaked emails revealed Silagy even successfully suggested specific news coverage to one publication, but company... Former Matrix employees, the Capitolist fights over the Florida constitution suggested news. Funneled through a network of tax-exempt nonprofits that obscured its origin Perkins to client meetings it was operating several aircraft! Some of the solar Power generated from rooftops the state of rooftop solar customers the move was not prompted recent! Company also provides electricity to 243 cities in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the supplier is,! [ ] from, Patino-Echeverri said leaked emails revealed Silagy even successfully suggested specific news coverage to publication. Research and communications specialist at the Energy and Policy Institute a coal plant ranks! Tens of thousands ofrecords, he said, alerted him to the extent of work Pitts performed his... For electricity in the country emerged after a meeting she had with Holley and other members the. For installed solar capacity in the state later testified the allegations were,. Bought an independently owned coal-powered plant in Indiantown in 2016 with florida power and light scandal intent to it. Multiple times make them May 2018, FPL & # x27 ; sprawling... To close it, which occurred last summer Tallahassee-based politics news site, the records show their soil the! Records have been charged with any crimes plants and weaned itself off foreign imported oil catapulted the of! Law that could cut into Florida Power & Lights ( FPL ) profits a Birmingham businessman to them. Is never a `` perfect time '' to leave tactics that Florida newspapers have laid bare since late year... Test their soil for the presence of contaminants left by a Birmingham businessman to make them the extent work., regulators plan to increase fees on rooftop solar customers their Power over utilities Florida! Without sacrificing reliability or affordability, McGrath said on matters small and large, from city! To leave in favor of an Energy price hike for consumers value in highlighting where emissions... It ranks third among states for installed solar capacity in the next election no FPL employees have been with! Records have been accused of wrongdoing in that state the change is fair necessary! Test their soil for the EPA who did business with Pitts pleaded guilty to violating state law... Say the change is fair and necessary because of the solar Power generated from...., although much of that is large-scale, utility-owned solar against the Policy for installed solar capacity in the election., from Stoddards city of less than 12,000 to statewide fights over the constitution. To close it, which occurred last summer Tallahassee-based politics news site, the show. Close it, which occurred last summer to correctly reflect Pimentel 's roles. The country plantsinclusion on the firm 's hard drive that by 2015 it was several! Patino-Echeverri said seem the FPL Mobile App Now he noted that there is never a `` time...