Hey everyone, it’s Diane.

So, Mayor Ken Welch has decided St. Pete will stick with Duke Energy for another 10 years. On paper, that sounds like a safe bet—keeps the lights on, gives us time to figure out if running our own city-owned utility is even possible. But I’ve got mixed feelings about it, and I know I’m not the only one.

Let me start with the good. The extension means we won’t be rushing into something we’re not ready for. Setting up a city-owned power company isn’t simple—it costs millions, takes years, and if done wrong, we’d all pay the price with outages and chaos. Having 10 years gives the city time to really study it, gather facts, and see if it’s even doable. It also keeps things stable for now. At least Duke has the infrastructure and people in place to keep the lights on without us scrambling.

But here’s where my frustration kicks in. People’s electric bills are already through the roof. I’ve heard stories of bills hitting $400 and $450, and that’s not just numbers on paper—that’s families choosing between paying the power bill or buying groceries. Meanwhile, Duke is reporting billion-dollar profits every quarter. It feels like we’re carrying the weight while they cash in. Waiting another 10 years for a solution feels like dragging our feet while everyday folks suffer.

And then there’s the accountability issue. I’ve read and heard too many stories of people feeling like Duke just doesn’t care. One woman said she lost her home in a fire she believes was caused by Duke’s negligence, and now she’s permanently scarred and left with nothing. Another mom said she’s had to pick between feeding her kids or paying Duke. These are real people. These are our neighbors. And those stories make it really hard to swallow another 10 years of “business as usual.”

It doesn’t help that Duke has already made it clear they’re not planning on selling, period. So if the city decides to go public, it could turn into a long, expensive fight over buying the equipment we’d need. That means lawyers, lawsuits, and more taxpayer money down the drain.

Here’s where I land: I’m okay with the 10-year extension if—and this is a big if—the city actually uses this time wisely. No dragging their feet, no hiding behind studies that never go anywhere. We need deadlines, community meetings, real updates, and an honest look at whether a city-owned power system would save us money or just create new headaches. If the city treats this extension like a time-out to actually make progress, fine. But if it turns into a 10-year excuse to do nothing, then we just gave Duke another decade to raise our bills and line their pockets.

At the end of the day, all I want—and I think most of us want—is an energy system that puts people first, not profits. I want to know my neighbors can afford to keep the AC on without fear of losing their home. I want transparency. I want options. And I want accountability.

So yeah, I’m torn. This deal could buy us time to finally make the right move for St. Pete—or it could be another 10 years of the same old story.

What do y’all think? Did Mayor Welch play it smart, or did we just get played?