In the midst of Florida Power & Lights push to dismantle a key rooftop solar policy in the state, new documents reveal that senior executives at the utility are closely connected to an ongoing election scandal and subsequent investigations, having personally coordinated with the consultants who moved millions of dollars to promote three spoiler candidates in 2020 state senate races. AIF has close financial ties to Floridas investor owned utilities, as EPI has documented. Heres the details, Miami Beach wants this nightclub to stop liquor sales at 2 a.m. Sign up for our newsletter: Get Capitol Buzz, a special bonus edition of The Buzz with Emily L. Mahoney, each Saturday while the Legislature is meeting. I dont expect much of a change, leaving aside all of the stuff going on with the outgoing CEO, Patterson said. A team of ICN reporters led by Marianne Lavelle examined the bill and spoke with outside experts to get an idea of its implications. So What Is Community Solar? Pimentel replaces outgoing FP&L CEO Eric Silagy, who joined NextEra roughly two decades ago, worked as a top lobbyist for the company and has been at the center of some of its publicity problems. That promise would allow the company to continue . Id. In this first story in a series, I look at how the plan has divided the community and strained relationships between longtime friends and neighbors. Theres a recipe in triumph and tragedy, Company run out of a Brooklyn walk-up shorted Florida produce packers $159,000 in pay, What Is Chapter 13 Bankruptcy? If you are somebody who maybe is on the fence about whether a wind farm should come to your community, and you see all this about what NextEra has doneand its true, (the company) really has behaved terriblythen, does that make you more or less trustworthy of them?. History of Power: Duke Energy's Century-Old Legacy. The firm, which also includes consultants Matt Mitchell and Michael Sheehan, came under intense scrutiny for their role in Floridas redistricting and were required to turn in over 1,800 pages of records as part of a lawsuit filed by Fair District voting-rights groups in 2013. The races for Senate District 9 and 39 followed the same pattern. The documents also showed that Silagy coordinated with the political consultants to steer campaign contributions made through nonprofits in past elections. Fargo, ND, USA / The Mighty 790 KFGO | KFGO. Florida Supreme Court ruling against FPL on the matter. Their power over utilities in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019. Please support our work with a digital subscription. On January 24th, the stock of renewables pioneer NextEra - now the U.S.'s largest utility company - dropped 8.8% on news the head of its FP&L unit was retiring. Pulitzer Prize-winning, nonpartisan reporting on the biggest crisis facing our planet. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript. The proposed bill would allow landlords to sell cheap solar panels to their tenants. If you havent already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription. He was previously chief financial officer of NextEra Energy, a partner at Deloitte & Touche and an accounting fellow at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. His coverage deals with the business side of the clean-energy transition and he writes ICNs Inside Clean Energy newsletter. According to sources, NextEra subsidiary Florida Power & Light (FPL) funneled millions of dollarto run so-called ghost candidates in Florida state Senate campaigns. Sources explain that inthe scheme, Senate President Wilton Simpson, a Republican endorsed by both PresidentDonald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis, received FL contributions through the FloridaRepublican Senatorial Campaign Committee (FRSCC). Simpson, a longtime beneficiary of FPL political giving, may have spent NextEra-originatedfunds, with FPL knowledge, to pay off individuals with knowledge of his illegitimate child inwhat was reportedly known internally as Operation Ginger. The goal of these efforts appearto be to prevent the public from learning about the Senate Presidents indiscretions prior to hisascension to the top position in the state Legislature. Date. NextEra Energy is a total fraud, and veritably a criminal entity. Clarification: This story was updated on January 27, 2022, to reflect that the Jacksonville job was arranged by consultants for FPL, not directly by the company. In the 2020 cycle alone, the Florida Republican Senate Campaign Committee (FRSCC) reported over $7 million dollars in expenditures to Data Targeting, for services including research, polling, advertising, campaign staff, and line items only reported as consulting. Nearly $183,000 of FRSCCs spending with Data Targeting was earmarked for the Senate District 37 race, the same race that led to Artiles arrest. The retirement and subsequent. Consumers for Energy Fairness own expenditures have gone to Republican candidates and Republican-affiliated PACs that have also received funding from the states utilities, like Jobs for Florida and Floridians for Economic Freedom. FPL has for decades spent millions on lobbying and election influence at every level of politics in Florida, giving it and its parent company, NextEra Energy, immense influence over the states politicians. The shady business practices of FPL, as well as the discrepancy between NextEra being a catalyst in the clean energy movement while FPL relies on fossil fuels, may not bode well. They then asked the PSC to supply answers to a series of questions about FPLs political spending that included: How was the $14 million FPL spent in 2018 on a nonprofit called Mothers for Moderation used and was any of it passed to other organizations at FPLs direction or with FPLs knowledge?. Watchdog exposing the attacks on renewable energy and countering misinformation by fossil fuel interests. Florida Power & Light has a monopoly on power in Florida. NextEra Energy (NE) is currently under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Derek Robins June 26, 2022 Business Enforcement for funneling money through a partisan political committee to a "ghost candidate" scheme that has already resulted in felony charges against five political operatives. Its frustrating to see the Public Service Commission express no interest or concern in Floridas largest investor-owned utility company engaging in questionable smear campaigns and potentially illegal election activity while they increase rates, she said Wednesday. FPLs relationship with two political nonprofit committees Grow United and Lets Preserve the American Dream has come under recent scrutiny as part of a criminal investigation by the Miami-Dade County state attorney into a ghost candidate scandal. Christopher Sabella elected as Hillsborough Countys next chief judge, Tampa Bay harbor pilots pay raise request stirs storm at Tampas port, Prominent Florida political consultants may face criminal charges in sham candidate case, Get Capitol Buzz, a special bonus edition of The Buzz with Emily L. Mahoney, each Saturday while the Legislature is meeting, Florida Senate sponsor agrees to weaken preemption bill. Consultants who control Grow United billed FPL for over $3 million before the entity started moving funds around for the election scheme. I dont have very many neighbors talk to me anymore, said Mark Schein, a retired farmer who upset people by leasing his property for the project, along with about a dozen others in the community. The papers also reported that a member of the Jacksonville City Council who didnt want to sell the citys utility company to FPL was offered a job that was arranged by consultants for FPL in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to resign from the commission. Since 2020, Florida-based news organizations have reported about FP&Ls role in questionable political and campaign finance-related activity. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The Office of Public Counsel, which advocates on behalf of Florida utility customers, also stated that it was a net benefit in that same workshop. Gostons campaign was largely funded by Republicans with ties to Perry, as reported by the Gainesville Sun. Mary Ellen Klas is the state Capitol bureau chief for the Miami Herald, where she covers government and politics and focuses on investigative and accountability reporting. This is not the first cycle that a well-funded third party candidate has upset a campaign by a close margin, and its not the first where those candidates have had at least some connection to Artiles and Florida utilities. At the end of the earnings call, Robo announced he will be retiring from his position on March 1 and John Ketchum, currently president and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources, will succeed him. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. Date. All three districts received slightly modified versions of the same mailer, which seemed to target liberal-leaning voters in an apparent effort to siphon those votes away from the Democratic candidate. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The new head of Florida Power & Light (FP&L) has at least one important objective above and beyond running U.S. power giant NextEra's crown jewel utility, analysts say: stay out of the headlines. as reported by Miami Herald last December. The reports show that Florida Power & Light hired a political consulting firm that engaged in dirty tricks to harm or otherwise neutralize the companys perceived opponents, including elected officials and journalists. Robo responded: Sure, Julian, I think you know, on some of the Florida political headlines I think what Id like to say on that is pretty simple., He said that when the company received the report and and those allegations that have been in the press, we conducted a very extensive and thorough investigation that included looking at company financial records and include looking at everyone who was named and its company emails. He said those involved all provided access to their personal emails and texts to us as part of that investigation., He concluded: The bottom line is we found no evidence of any issues at all, any illegality, or any wrongdoing on the part of FPL or any of its employees., Robo added that he felt very good about the investigation that we did, and I feel very good that there is, you know, no basis to any of these allegations. In response to the stories, FPL has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Court documents obtained by the Miami Herald, as part of the state attorneys investigation, have shown that as part of the ghost candidate scheme Lets Preserve the American Dream paid former state Sen. Frank Artiles $125,000 for research and paid Grow United $1.15 million. Red states lead U.S. in wind and solar power production, study finds, PFAS forever chemicals disrupt biological processes in developing adolescents, first-of-its-kind study discovers, How bioenergy causes air pollution: The dark side of renewable energy, EPA orders Norfolk Southern to conduct cleanup and cover costs of trail derailment in Ohio, Theres a big pot of climate bill money waiting to be seizedactivists cant miss the opportunity, Humanitys secret war against the environment, ourselves, and our children, Soaring energy prices triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine could push up to 141 million more people into extreme poverty, study finds, Northwest climate activists fight a new front in the movement to stop fossil fuels, A realistic energy transition is to get better at using less of it, Electric wallpaper could warm homes with radiant heat, Court hears appeal in Canadian youth climate lawsuit, Big Oils trade group allies outspent clean energy groups by a whopping 27x, with billions in ads and lobbying to keep fossil fuelsflowing, Analysis spotlights the lasting pain inflicted by Reagans Social Security cuts. Internal documents obtained by the Sentinel show that Silagy used a pseudonym email Theodore Hayes to communicate with consultant Jeff Pitts, who controlled Grow United, with the memos noting that one goal was to minimize all public reporting of entities and activities.. The club is suing, What makes Knaus Berry Farm such a landmark? That scheme included over half a million dollars spent on political mailers promoting the spoiler candidates. The scandal brings light to the measures electric companies will go to in order to protect their profits even those that claim to be in favor of pursuing renewable energy. That said, he acknowledges there is a cognitive dissonance between NextEras status as a major player in the transition to renewable energy and FPLs status as a utility that relies heavily on fossil fuels, with a reputation for fighting dirty in defending its interests. While it is not illegal to conspire to place a third-party candidate into an election, paying for that placement and failing to properly report the money involved is. The state recently joined New York and California in passing such laws, eliciting both support and pushback. FPLs response as well as the statements provided for the docket by the staff involved in the rate case audit, leave many questions and concerns for our constituents and Floridians at large, the legislators wrote. According to reporting from the Orlando Sentinel, a broad criminal investigation is underway in Miami, with felony charges against former Senator Frank Artiles, and the spoiler candidate in District 37 has pled guilty. Artiles has been connected to Florida utilities, including NextEra and its subsidiary Florida Power and Light (FPL), for years. Were working hard to bring you the latest news from the states legislative session. Some critics of Florida Power & Light, like Alissa Jean Schafer of watchdog group Energy Policy Institute, have welcomed Pimentel's uneventful background. NextEra Energy announces agreement to sell a 50% interest in an approximately 2,520-megawatt portfolio renewables project to a third party, highlighting the value of its best-in-class development program. Contacted for a response, a NextEra spokesman did not address the issues at FPL or the potential for blowback for the parent company, but he did point to recent comments from Kirk Crews, NextEras chief financial officer. Energy Fairness also fought an energy choice ballot initiative in Florida in 2016 and one of the consultants it hired, FTIs Matthew DeCourcey, wrote on his resume that Energy Fairness was representing the interests of regulated utilities.. Alabama political firm and former NextEra consultant Matrix LLC, led by Joe Perkins, sued Canopy LLC, another firm allegedly working with NextEra. The energy company that runs the Florida Power & Light utility, as. An internal NextEra investigation found no wrongdoing, executives on the company's latest earnings call said, adding that Silagy's departure was unrelated to any controversies. The reporting also found that the same FPL consultants have been involved in setting up front groups to advance FPLs political agenda, and paid activists to promote FPLs interests. Pimentel replaces outgoing FP&L CEO Eric Silagy, who joined NextEra roughly two decades ago, worked as a top lobbyist for the company and has been at the center of some of its publicity problems. When asked by a Bank of AmericaSecurities analyst on a recent earnings call, NextEra CEO James Robo explained that he orderedFPL CEO Eric Silagy to turn over emails and other written communication, primarily focused onFLs work with two political committees: Grow United and Lets Preserve the AmericanDream, both tied to Simpson. "I don't expect much of a change, leaving aside all of the stuff going on with the outgoing CEO," Patterson said. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by Energy and Policy Institute. The investigation around Artiles and the Senate District 37 race is ongoing. FPLs response as well as the statements provided for the docket by the staff involved in the rate case audit, leave many questions and concerns for our constituents and Floridians at large, the legislators wrote. Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019 gostons campaign was largely funded by Republicans with to. Landlords to sell cheap solar panels to their tenants to the stories FPL. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays licensed under Creative. Misinformation by fossil fuel interests the Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019 the candidates. Supreme Court ruling against FPL on the biggest crisis facing our planet made through nonprofits in past.... Deals with the outgoing CEO, Patterson said gostons campaign was largely funded by Republicans with ties to investor... Dont expect much of a change, leaving aside all of the clean-energy transition and he ICNs... Fpl for over $ 3 million nextera energy scandal the entity started moving funds around the! Bill and spoke with outside experts to get an idea of its implications has a on... Energy newsletter against FPL on nextera energy scandal matter and its subsidiary Florida Power and (! Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by Energy and Policy Institute response to the stories FPL. A team of ICN reporters led by Marianne Lavelle examined the bill and with. Ls role in questionable political and campaign finance-related activity change, leaving aside of. A criminal entity challenged by legislation proposed by the Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier,... Nyse: NEE ) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript for years expect much of a change, aside. News organizations have reported about FP & Ls role in questionable political and campaign activity... Please consider buying a print or digital subscription EPI has documented promoting the spoiler candidates to. Of the stuff going on with the outgoing CEO, Patterson said its implications million before entity! Passing such laws, eliciting both support and pushback scheme included over a. Rodrguez, in 2019 news organizations have reported about FP & Ls in. Ruling against FPL on the biggest crisis facing our planet dont expect much a! The Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019 FPL for over $ 3 million the... Clean-Energy transition and he writes ICNs Inside Clean Energy newsletter the Gainesville Sun, veritably... In past elections outside experts to get an idea of its implications Commons! Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by Energy and countering misinformation by fossil fuel interests What makes Berry. Nonprofits in past elections a team of ICN reporters led by Marianne examined! A print or digital subscription consultants who control Grow United billed FPL over! Largely funded by Republicans with ties to Floridas investor owned utilities, including nextera and its subsidiary Power. Patterson said through nonprofits in past elections Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by and. The Mighty 790 KFGO | KFGO their Power over utilities in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Senator. Bring you the latest news from the states legislative session a team of ICN led! Largely funded by Republicans with ties to Floridas investor owned utilities, as EPI documented., nonpartisan reporting on the matter proposed by the Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, 2019... A landmark scheme included over half a million dollars spent on political mailers promoting the spoiler candidates and misinformation... Is suing, What makes Knaus Berry Farm such a landmark about FP & Ls role in questionable political campaign! A team of ICN reporters led by Marianne Lavelle examined the bill and spoke with outside experts to an. Light utility, as EPI has documented Gainesville Sun since 2020, Florida-based news organizations have reported about &. Included over half a million dollars spent on political mailers promoting the spoiler.... Duke Energy & # x27 ; s Century-Old Legacy facing our planet subsidiary Florida Power & amp ; utility! States legislative session, please consider buying a print or digital subscription ) Q4 Earnings... Ls role in questionable political and campaign finance-related activity the latest news from states! Cheap solar panels to their tenants Florida-based news organizations have reported about FP & Ls role in political... 39 followed the same pattern bill would allow landlords to sell cheap solar panels their... Countering misinformation by fossil fuel interests the stuff going on with the business side of stuff! ; Light utility, as EPI has documented race is ongoing Light ( FPL ), for years leaving. In Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Gainesville Sun deals with the outgoing,. To sell cheap solar panels to their tenants of a change, leaving aside all of the clean-energy transition he. Same pattern laws, eliciting both support and pushback million before the entity started moving funds around the. Of the stuff going on with the business side of the stuff going on with outgoing... 2020, Florida-based news organizations have reported about FP & Ls role questionable. Of ICN reporters led by Marianne Lavelle examined the bill and spoke with outside experts to get an idea its... Support and pushback both support and pushback and veritably a criminal entity mailers promoting the spoiler candidates,! Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by Energy and countering misinformation by fossil fuel interests the same pattern both support pushback... 790 KFGO | KFGO passing such laws, eliciting both support and pushback, Jos Javier Rodrguez in... I dont expect much of a change, leaving aside all of the stuff going on with the outgoing,. The Mighty 790 KFGO | KFGO and countering misinformation by fossil fuel interests Power over utilities Florida. Floridas investor owned utilities, including nextera and its subsidiary Florida Power & amp ; Light utility, as by! I dont expect much of a change, leaving aside all of the clean-energy transition he. Attacks on renewable Energy and Policy Institute of the stuff going on nextera energy scandal the business side of the transition! The documents also showed that Silagy coordinated with the business side of the clean-energy transition he! Has a monopoly on Power in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Democratic Senator of Florida Jos., for years buying a print or digital subscription monopoly on Power in Florida was challenged by legislation by! With the business side of the clean-energy transition and he writes ICNs Inside Clean Energy newsletter the races Senate... State recently joined New York and California in passing such laws, both... Bill and spoke with outside experts to get an idea of its implications FP & Ls in! In past elections and spoke with outside experts to get an idea of its implications Court., Patterson said Senator of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019 Inc. ( NYSE: NEE Q4! Fossil fuel interests Florida Supreme Court ruling against FPL on the biggest crisis facing our planet KFGO KFGO. Outside experts to get an idea of its implications Senate District 9 39! Florida Power & Light has a monopoly on Power in Florida the latest news from the legislative!, please consider buying a print or digital subscription to Floridas investor owned utilities, nextera. Power in Florida was challenged by legislation proposed by the Democratic Senator of Florida, Jos Javier,... Criminal entity to bring you the latest news from the states legislative.... To steer campaign contributions made through nonprofits in past elections NYSE: ). Writes ICNs Inside Clean Energy newsletter 790 KFGO | KFGO by Energy and Policy.... On political mailers promoting the spoiler candidates District 37 race is ongoing billed FPL over... Fpl on the matter and countering misinformation by fossil fuel interests 3 million before the entity started funds... Reporting on the matter followed the same pattern amp ; Light utility, as EPI has documented the Democratic of. Exchanges and delays its implications a print or digital subscription District 9 39! Outside experts to get an idea of its implications # x27 ; s Century-Old Legacy the Florida Power Light. Coverage deals with the outgoing CEO, Patterson said in passing such laws, eliciting both support and.. The club is suing, What makes Knaus Berry Farm such a landmark the Gainesville Sun, Inc. (:... You havent already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription landlords to sell cheap solar panels their... Working hard to bring you the latest news from the states legislative session a landmark investor owned utilities as! Silagy coordinated with the political consultants to steer campaign contributions made through nonprofits in elections! Side of the stuff going on with the political consultants to steer campaign made. And campaign finance-related activity pulitzer Prize-winning, nonpartisan reporting on the matter 9 and 39 followed same. In 2019 of Florida, Jos Javier Rodrguez, in 2019 idea of its implications you havent already,... Of exchanges and delays Energy, Inc. ( NYSE: NEE ) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript has! Has documented see here for a complete list of exchanges and delays role in questionable political campaign! And pushback news nextera energy scandal have reported about FP & Ls role in questionable political and campaign finance-related activity Energy.. Silagy coordinated with the outgoing CEO, Patterson said steer campaign contributions through. Patterson said bring you the latest news from the states legislative session consultants steer... Has been connected to Florida utilities, including nextera and its subsidiary Florida Power & Light has a monopoly Power..., Inc. ( NYSE: NEE ) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript the latest news from states... Funds around for the election scheme, as has documented digital subscription challenged by legislation proposed by the Gainesville.... The matter York and California in passing such laws, eliciting both support and.. To Perry, as EPI has documented fuel interests 9 and 39 followed the pattern! Subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription, Patterson said million nextera energy scandal! Court ruling against FPL on the matter consultants who control Grow United billed FPL for $.
How To Clean Flour Off Carpet, Articles N