It should come as no surprise that energy companies are threatened by climate change mitigation. Saving the planet but offsetting profits apparently sounds so unappealing that companies like Florida Power & Light (FPL) will do anything to keep shareholders happy and their pockets lined. A recent investigation from the Miami Herald and Floodlight found that FPL would rather splurge on candidates willing to do the company’s bidding than look toward a greener future. FPL donated $10,000 to the political committee of Jennifer Bradley to get the Republicans to push a bill targeting net metering. Net metering allows customers with solar panels (or any other renewable energy source) to offset their utility bills by selling excess energy back to a power company. FPL sent a lobbyist to hand-deliver Bradley a company-drafted bill that she turned around and filed in November. Bradley wasn’t the only lawmaker that appears to have been targeted by FPL: An identical bill was filed by Rep. Lawrence McClure in the Florida House. McClure has, of course, benefitted from FPL’s generosity to candidates the company can manipulate. According to filings detailing campaign donations from the 2020 election cycle, McClure racked up thousands from PACs and CCEs affiliated with FPL, including donations from its parent company’s PAC. NextEra, which owns FPL, spent $2,000 on the candidate alone through its Florida PAC. And McClure’s Conservative Florida political committee received $10,000 from Voice of Florida Business PAC, which pushes FPL’s agenda. FPL is notorious for throwing money at lawmakers in an effort to get its way, especially when it comes to solar panels. In 2016, FPL backed a failed ballot measure that would make installing rooftop solar panels costlier and more hassle. Read more