St. Petersburg, FL – City leaders in St. Petersburg are reviewing long term options for how electricity is provided as officials consider whether residents could eventually be served by a locally controlled utility instead of Duke Energy.
The discussion began as the city prepares for upcoming decisions tied to its franchise agreement, prompting council members to request a formal feasibility study before making any commitments.
The proposed study would analyze the financial, legal, and operational challenges involved in creating a municipal electric system.
Supporters say the goal is to gather data on potential cost savings, local control over infrastructure, and the ability to pursue renewable energy targets more directly.
Officials emphasized that no vote has been taken to end the partnership with Duke Energy and that the process is still in an early evaluation stage.
Residents and some council members have raised concerns about rising power bills and storm related outages in recent years.
Those issues have fueled interest in exploring whether a city run utility could offer more stability or transparency.
At the same time, energy experts warn that municipalization could require significant upfront investment to purchase equipment and navigate regulatory approvals, which may take years to complete.
Duke Energy representatives have pointed to ongoing grid upgrades, solar expansion projects, and reliability improvements as reasons to maintain the existing arrangement.
They argue that current investments are designed to strengthen service and manage long term costs for customers.
City officials say public input will be part of the study process, and the findings will help determine whether St. Petersburg continues its relationship with Duke Energy or explores a different path forward.