Sep 17, 2007 3:08 pm US/Eastern
FPL Seeks To Boost Production In South Florida
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TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
Florida Power & Light asked state regulators Monday to allow the company to boost energy production at its two South Florida nuclear plants.
In a filing made with the Public Service Commission, FPL, the state's largest electric utility, said it wants to add about 400 megawatts of capacity to its two plants, the Turkey Point generating plant south of Miami and one in St. Lucie County.
FPL, a unit of Juno Beach-based FPL Group, has also already said it plans to seek approval to build two new nuclear plants at its existing Turkey Point complex by 2020 to add additional power generating capability.
"Additional nuclear generation will help us meet our customers' growing demand for electric power while ensuring that we preserve and improve our environment," FPL President Armando Olivera said in a statement released by the company. "Nuclear power is an important component of the state's clean energy mix."
The proposal can help supply additional affordable, new energy to Floridians without producing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses that scientists have said contribute to climate change, Olivera added.
FPL, which has more than 4.3 million customers, was turned down by the PSC earlier this year when the company sought to build a new coal-burning plant in South Florida. The regulatory panel said other types of power plants would be more cost efficient, and cited in part the possibility of emissions controls for coal plants will become more costly.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
