GREC

A timeline of mounting debt, the biomass plant and a power struggleWith Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of a bill last month appointing an independent board to…

The GRU Authority referendum on the November ballot will allow Gainesville residents to vote on whether GRU’s governing authority should be transferred to an independent board appointed by the city commission.

Although lower utility rates have been the reasoning behind the Gainesville city commission's support for the recent GREC purchase, rates are not decreasing as much as residents had hoped. In fact, customers' bills will still increase in the long run.

The Gainesville City Commission on Thursday night voted 5-2 in favor of Gainesville Regional Utilities’ $750 million purchase of the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center (GREC).

Watch the live stream of a public forum hosted by WUFT and the Gainesville Sun to discuss the ongoing negotiations between GRU and GREC.

The Gainesville Sun, WUFT and the Bob Graham Center for Public Service will host a public program at 6 p.m. on June 13 in the Pugh Hall Ocora that will examine the ongoing negotiations between Gainesville Regional Utilities and the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center.

A bill making its way through the state Legislature with good momentum would put a referendum on the Gainesville city ballot in the March 2018 elections that would create a board with authority over Gainesville Regional Utilities.

At a public forum Monday night, Ed Bielarski, GRU's general manager, took questions from concerned citizens about GRU's efforts to purchase the GREC biomass plant. Some called for more accountability and others worry the city may enter into another unfair deal.

Gainesville Regional Utilities General Manager Ed Bielarski made his case to the Alachua County commission Tuesday night for GRU's $750 million purchase of the biomass plant in the city, saying that the purchase will result in utility-rate reductions of 8 to 10 percent for GRU customers.

GRU awaits city commission decision on whether to allow their $750 million purchase.