PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Duke Energy wants to begin negotiating a new contract with the City of St. Petersburg as soon as possible.
In a letter to Mayor Ken Welch, the utility company said operating without an agreement is concerning, leading to potential legal issues.
The agreement between the city and Duke expired on July 31 and it doesn’t appear that any negotiations are currently scheduled.
St. Pete is waiting on the results from a study of what it would cost to acquire Duke’s equipment and provide its own services.
When the city of Clearwater was recently considering a similar move, Duke said its equipment was not for sale. Clearwater has since renewed its 30-year contract with the utility.
In the meantime, Duke says it will continue its service to St. Pete uninterrupted.