FPL works with lawmakers on policy. There’s nothing wrong with that

Re the Miami Herald’s Dec. 20 story on new legislation to alter the state’s rooftop solar rules: FPL does not oppose rooftop solar or net metering, which compensates homeowners for excess electricity produced. In fact, we help administer the state’s current net-metering policies and support customers who have the financial means to install solar on their roof.

But the decision to put solar on your roof should never mean that other customers must subsidize your choice, which is what happens today. More than 8.5 million Floridians pay higher electric bills today due to 90,000 residents who have chosen to install rooftop solar, and we just think that’s unfair.

The story leads readers to believe that FPL acted improperly by recommending draft legislation. However, we’ve been working with lawmakers to suggest changes to the current policy, as well as actively and transparently communicating our position in Tallahassee and in front of the Florida Public Service Commission for several years.

FPL is America’s biggest solar energy producer, and nobody is doing more to produce and store energy from the sun than we are. We simply believe that Florida and our customers benefit the most when the largest amount of reliable solar is installed for the lowest cost. This is indisputably achieved through large-scale, ground-mounted solar – like the 42 solar power plants FPL has today — which is more than three times more cost-effective than rooftop solar.

This story was originally published December 27, 2021 at 11:40 AM with the headline "FPL works with lawmakers on policy. There’s nothing wrong with that."