“Modest” renewable energy bill advances without controversial amendment

Legislation creating tax credits and other incentives for renewable energy producers passed a second Senate committee Monday without a controversial amendment that would have allowed utilities to raise rates with greater ease.

Supporters of the renewable energy bill being pushed by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam called it “modest” and “a first step” towards encouraging more solar, biofuels and other alternative energy sources.

But an amendment supported by Florida Power & Light threatened to derail the legislation in the Senate Agriculture Committee. The amendment would allow utilities to pass on costs to electricity customers from upgrades to individual power plants, circumventing the current process for a rate increase.

The amendment was withdrawn in the face of opposition from industrial power users and consumer advocates, but FPL Vice President Mike Sole left open the possibility that the issue could resurface in future committee hearings.

“These are improvements to our aging infrastructure that actually save our customers money,” Sole said in arguing that power plant upgrades save money on fuel costs in the long run and should be judged on their individual merits, rather than as part of a far-reaching rate case.