President Trump’s Executive Order Revises Clean Power Plan
President Trump signed an executive order today that rolls back the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP). The action will change the course of illogical regulations that could have hindered SECO Energy’s ability to provide low-cost, reliable energy to its members.
The CPP had the potential to greatly impact the pocketbooks of families and businesses in SECO’s service area. The CPP proposed forcing energy providers in Florida to reduce CO2 emissions from existing power plants by 25 percent – potentially causing power plants that have already been retrofitted with state-of-the-art environmental controls to close prematurely.
Shuttering working, viable power plants prematurely would cost energy providers billions of dollars. The costs of closing these plants and building new CPP-approved power plants would also cost energy providers billions of dollars. These costs would directly impact consumers – raising electric rates for SECO members and for all energy consumers nationwide.
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “I am hopeful for the first time in a long time that a rational, reasonable national energy policy can be established that balances environmental concerns with reliable, affordable energy needs. The EPA greatly overreached when it tried to force energy providers and consumers into a plan that according to the former EPA head herself, Gina McCarthy, would have no measurable climate impact.”
Duncan continued, “With the new administration, we are entering into new and as yet uncharted territory. I hope cool heads will prevail and common sense makes a comeback. As I have said for years, energy consumers deserve a national energy policy that protects the environment as well as consumer’s pocketbooks and need for reliable power.”
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And let’s not give a @*!* about the environment. Too bad I don’t have the option to use another power company. Although, I DO have the option to go solar.
Thank you for your interest in solar power. SECO does have a couple of options for members who are interested in solar. First, there is Solar Life – members pay a flat fee of $32 per month for the output of four solar panels at Seminole Electric’s solar array located in Hardee County. Your energy costs will be reduced by the monthly output of the four panels – this is a good option for members who are interested in solar, but are not willing to install a rooftop array. Second, if you are interested in investing in a rooftop array call SECO for a free assessment of your property to help you decide if solar is the right option for you. They will help you by examining roof pitch, orientation, usage history and potential payback.
As of March 20, a total of 530 SECO Energy members have interconnected solar systems at their homes or businesses. These systems produced 1,789,373 kilowatt hours in 2016, resulting in payments from SECO to these members totaling nearly $140,769.62 last year alone. Over the life of these systems, the cooperative has paid $510,039 to members who produced more electricity with their solar systems than they consumed. Per the PSC, this is the highest payback of any utility in the state.
Below are links to an article you may find interesting about SECO’s Solar Square demonstration at the Annual Meeting and a link to the Solar page on the website.
Link to SECO Solar Square Demo article:https://secoenergy.com/seco-solar-square-demo-at-march-25-annual-meeting/
Link to SECO’s solar page: https://secoenergy.com/solar/