The City of Sarasota yesterday met again with representatives from Florida Power & Light to discuss the possible renewal of their 30-year contract that gives FPL a monopoly on energy delivery and gives the city a percentage of Sarasotans’ energy bills. As we wrote yesterday, the sheer length of that deal has been a major sticking point for the City Commission, which has stated its desire to increase the city’s renewable portfolio and would prefer a five-year franchise agreement so that it can remain flexible in pursuing renewable options.

Today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that the meeting revealed that neither side is “ready to budge” on the length of the deal, but that commissioners “felt the discussion moved forward”:

Sarasota is the latest Florida city to question the length of its contract and some of the other issues, such as how to bring in newer technologies.

But none has pushed so strenuously and forcibly, FPL told the commission.

“It’s uncharted water, to a great extent,” said Rae Dowling, FPL spokeswoman.

We’ll have more on what the meeting means for the city’s ongoing negotiations later today.