City of Clearwater considering replacing Duke Energy with city-run electric utility [Video]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — City of Clearwater leaders are weighing the idea of switching from Duke Energy to a city-run electric utility.

At the City Council meeting Thursday, council members will vote whether to hire NexGen, a consulting firm, to look into what it would take to make the switch, as the city’s 30-year franchise agreement with Duke Energy is set to expire.

“We’re about a year and a half away from the expiration of our franchise agreement and we think that that’s a good window of time for us to at least analyze it,” Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector said. “If it doesn’t make sense for Clearwater citizens, then we won’t do it.”

The study would cost about $500,000 and would take nine months to complete.

“It’s very complicated as you might imagine, any utilities and transition of utilities, so we rely upon experts to tell us whether it makes …