St. Petersburg’s utility contract with power provider Duke Energy expired more than a week ago, and City Hall still hasn’t scheduled negotiations to replace it, even as the utility publicly presses Mayor Ken Welch to sit down before the lack of an agreement turns into a legal headache.
Duke sent a letter to Welch warning that operating without a contract is a genuine concern that could create legal complications for both sides. The company says it wants to begin negotiating as soon as possible. So far, the city hasn’t taken it up on the offer.
The holdup traces back to St. Petersburg’s interest in a municipal power takeover — the city is waiting on a study estimating what it would cost to buy out Duke’s local equipment and run its own electric utility rather than renew with the private provider. It’s an ambitious and expensive proposition, and one that has already run into a wall next door in Clearwater.
When Clearwater explored the same idea earlier this month, Duke made clear its equipment isn’t for sale. Clearwater’s city council ultimately opted for pragmatism over a costly and uncertain municipalization fight, renewing its contract with Duke for another 30 years.
Whether St. Petersburg reaches the same conclusion remains to be seen. For now, residents are left in limbo, with the city studying a government-run alternative to private utility service while the existing contract sits expired and no talks are on the calendar. Duke says service will continue uninterrupted in the meantime, but the lack of urgency from City Hall raises the question of how long St. Pete plans to let a study delay a deal Duke says it’s ready to make today.
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