State utilities rank poorly on efficiency

Florida’s biggest utilities are nearly the worst among their peers in the nation for helping customers reduce electricity use through efficiency steps such as better insulation and tighter doors and windows, according to new rankings.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has graded Florida Power & Light Co. and Duke Energy in Florida nearly at the bottom of the 52 largest U.S. utilities for promoting energy efficiency.

The ACEEE’s 2020 Utility Energy Efficiency Scorecard ranks the South Florida-based FPL as 51st, narrowly ahead of last-place Alabama Power. Based in St. Petersburg, Duke is 48th, while scorecard newcomer Tampa Electric Co. ranks 46th.

Founded in 1980, the nonprofit ACEEE has been a leading voice for clean energy in economic development and government policy.

FPL, serving more than 5 million customers and listed in the scorecard as the nation’s second-largest by electricity sold, plays down the need to provide financial assistance to customers for energy efficiency upgrades.

“We have long believed that empowering our customers to make energy efficient choices that are right for them is a better approach than charging higher rates to pay for handouts that only some customers can use,” said Chris McGrath, FPL spokesman.

McGrath said FPL uses more efficient power plants, which reduces the cost of electricity, while increasingly stringent building codes and appliance standards are resulting in an overall increase in energy efficiency.

Duke is the state’s second-largest utility, with 1.8 million customers, and is Central Florida’s largest power provider, a standing that includes 380,000 customers in Orange County and 158,000 in Seminole County.

“We’ve been supporting energy efficiency for more than 30 years,” spokeswoman Ana Gibbs said. “By participating in our residential

and business energy efficiency programs, our customers have saved more than $1 billion.”

George Cavros, a Southern Alliance for Clean Energy policy attorney in Florida, said utilities and the state’s Public Service Commission share in blame for the state’s relatively lax energy-efficiency efforts.

“There are a lot of customers who may not have the information or the financial resources to pursue conservation measures,” Cavros said.

He said the state commission enforces utility rules in the least beneficial way for energy efficiency, while utilities themselves have pushed back on having to meet even small conservation goals.

“Florida is an outlier,” Cavros said. “That’s reflected on the scorecard.”