With the involvement of experts from the utility industry and legislators, Peoples Gas hosted the Fuel Forward Conference at EverBank Stadium, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, to facilitate discussions on energy trends, sustainability and the future of Florida’s energy policy.
Sen. Ton Yarborough and Rep. Bobby Payne participated in a panel discussion on the path to securing Florida’s sustainable, secure and affordable energy resources. Both lawmakers have been active energy activists during this year’s legislative session, sponsoring several bills related to energy policy and infrastructure in Florida.
Lukas BuzardVice President of Regulatory and External Affairs, was accompanied by Kandi FloydDirector of External Relations, will moderate the panel discussion.
“Peoples Gas plays a large role in providing safe, affordable and reliable energy to our communities, and our energy contributes to the state’s economic development and overall resilience, especially in times of need,” Buzard said. “We are very proud of that.” Peoples Gas provides natural gas to 500,000 residents and businesses across the state.
Payne has extensive experience in the electric utility industry and recognized that Florida needed an effective energy policy. “We passed legislation this year to improve the reliability and cost-effectiveness of Florida’s energy supply, especially given our geographic location,” Payne said.
“The federal government’s energy policy is creating artificial inflation in the United States and damaging our ability to be energy independent as a country by imposing too many regulations that force the loss of our country’s energy independence – all because of a failing ideology.”
As a panelist, Payne highlighted the impact of HB 1645 (Energy Resources), a bill the Governor recently signed. Ron DeSantisThe bill focused on the state’s energy infrastructure, regulatory framework and sustainability goals. It also included provisions for several energy sectors, including natural gas and renewable energy.
“When you move forward with a bill like this, you have to consider resilience and security components,” Payne said. “It’s a major security concern when vital services like hospitals are cut off from power.”
In response to reports of attacks on electrical substations in Florida, Yarborough supported the Senate version of a bill that would protect energy infrastructure by providing criminal and civil penalties for tampering with or trespassing on existing infrastructure, such as energy facilities. Committee analysis The bill cites six attacks on substations in Florida in 2022. Similar incidents have been reported in neighboring states, resulting in power outages.
“We need to protect infrastructure, not just for health reasons, not just because Florida is home to 22 million people, but because we need to send the message that we will not allow tampering with our critical infrastructure,” Yarborough said. “That will not be tolerated in Florida.”
The legislation, sponsored by Yarborough, includes stricter guidelines and new laws that will make it easier for law enforcement to pursue those who target infrastructure stations, including energy facilities, communications infrastructure and transportation hubs.
The proactive efforts of Yarborough and Payne, along with the Florida Natural Gas Association and members of several utility companies, resulted in groundbreaking legislation designed to ensure the sustainability, security and affordability of Florida’s energy resources and infrastructure.
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