Byron Donalds On Climate & Energy: Where the Candidates Stand

Byron Donalds, the Republican candidate for Florida governor, has a record that touches several issues homeowners care about around energy costs and upgrades. He has called wind and solar an "energy fantasy" and favors nuclear power instead, including smaller nuclear reactors to power data centers. In Congress, he voted for a bill that would block the Department of Energy from setting new efficiency standards for home appliances, and he has supported fossil fuel power projects over renewable ones in federal energy rules.

On utility bills, Donalds has opposed a proposal from his opponent, David Jolly, to cap the guaranteed profit margin utilities earn on new infrastructure, arguing that caps lead to worse grid service. Tracking by the nonprofit CLEO Institute shows he has received $1.79 million in campaign contributions from Florida's major power utilities, the second-highest amount among state officials. He has also worked with Florida Democrats to push for the state's full share of federal home energy assistance funds for low-income and senior households struggling with utility costs.

Donalds supports more data centers in Florida, backed in part by $5 million from data center developers, and favors pairing them with small nuclear reactors and closed-loop water systems. He does not see a strong link between climate change and extreme weather. For homeowners, his positions suggest less federal pressure for appliance efficiency rules and a preference for nuclear and gas power over rooftop solar and wind as the state's energy future.