12/01: The Florida Energy 2020 Study Commission released its final report to Governor Bush and the Legislature on December 11, 2001. The report presented the commission's "strategy for assuring that Florida will have an adequate, reliable and affordable supply of electricity." The commission recommended removing barriers to entry for merchant plants to facilitate the development of new generation capacity; providing nondiscriminatory access to the transmission system through the creation of a regional transmission organization (RTO); and fully implementing wholesale competition in six years. Also recommended was the establishment of a new study commission in 2004 "to assess the status of wholesale competition and make recommendations as to whether retail competition should be allowed."

03/01: The Energy 2020 Study Commission released an interim report, "Proposal for Restructuring Florida's Wholesale Market for Electricity." The report made recommendations to the 2001 legislature that would result in the development of a competitive wholesale electricity market in Florida. Proposals included removing barriers to entry for merchant generation plants, requiring investor-owned load serving utilities to acquire energy resources through a competitive acquisition process, and allowing utility affiliate companies to assume ownership of existing generation assets as well as build new ones.

09/00: The Energy 2020 Study Commission held its first meeting to begin studying Florida's future energy requirements over the next twenty years. Six technical advisory committees were created to identify issues, gather and analyze information, and make recommendations on energy policy. The 17-member Study Commission was charged with studying retail competition and future electric and gas demand in Florida, and was scheduled to present a final report by December 2001.

07/00: The Energy 2020 Study Commission, a study committee created by Governor Bush's Executive Order 2000-127, was announced May 3 when the legislature failed to address restructuring the electric power industry. The commission was composed of 17 appointed members that were scheduled to begin meeting in September. The commission would issue its final report to the Governor by December 2001 on their investigation of current and future electric reliability, energy conservation, environmental impacts, supply and delivery options, electric industry competition, and the financial consequences of restructuring.

04/00: The Supreme Court of Florida reversed the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) order that approved Duke Energy's proposal for a merchant plant in New Smyrna. The Court ruled that the PSC did not have the authority to approve the Duke merchant plant under the Florida Electric Power Plant Siting Act of 1973.

01/00: The staff of the House of Representatives Utilities and Communications Committee conducted a review and issued a report, "An Overview of the Electric Power Industry," in January 2000. The report provided a history and an overview of the current state of the electric power industry in Florida. Neither the legislature nor the PSC was actively pursuing restructuring for retail access in Florida.

04/99: The PSC approved a merchant plant to be built in New Smyrna by Duke Energy. The combined cycle gas plant had a photovoltaic unit to offer a "green" pricing option as part of the plant's marketing. The utilities in the State opposed the plant, but the PSC stated that the plant, and other merchant plants proposed to be built, could help solve the State's reserve margin problem, lack of photovoltaics, and market share concerns.

02/99: The PSC ruled that investor-owned utilities must disclose the sources of generation and purchased power by fuel type to consumers.

08/98: Responding to competitive pressures that can lower electric bills for large consumers, the PSC approved discount rates (up to 20 percent) for new and expanding businesses. The Florida Alliance for Lower Electric Rates Today opposed the discounts, and proposed state-wide competition for all consumers.