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News
Releases
Gov.
Bush Approves New Power Plant to Serve Florida's Public Power
Customers
ORLANDO,
Fla., Sept. 11, 2001 -Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida cabinet
unanimously approved the construction and operation of a new
state-of-the-art, high-efficiency power plant that will provide
electricity to city-owned electric utilities in Florida.
The new
unit will be built at Orlando Utilities Commission's (OUC)
Stanton Energy Center and is expected to begin commercial
operation in fall 2003. The project is a joint development
of OUC, Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA), Florida Municipal
Power Agency (FMPA)1 and Southern Company-Florida LLC.
The plan
that received final approval today calls for construction
of a 633 megawatt, natural gas-fired unit at an existing power
plant site approximately 12 miles southeast of Orlando. OUC
will own 28% of the unit. FMPA, which is a wholesale power
provider to 13 municipal electric utilities, will own 3.5%.
KUA will own 3.5%, and the remaining 65% will be owned by
Southern. OUC, KUA and FMPA will purchase all of the capacity
owned by Southern for a minimum of 10 years. The purchased
capacity will be allocated 80% to OUC, 10% to KUA and 10%
to FMPA. Options in the contract could extend the purchases
for an additional 20 years.
"The
partnership we created with this project will help us meet
the future electricity needs of utility customers in a number
of municipalities throughout Florida at the lowest possible
cost," said FMPA's General Manager and CEO Roger Fontes.
The project
received a Certificate of Need from the Florida Public Service
Commission on May 14, 2001. A state administrative law judge
recommended the project for certification of construction
and operation following an environmental hearing in Orlando
on July 23, 2001. The consent today from Florida's governor
and cabinet is the final authorization needed under the state's
power plant siting rules to begin construction.
The
new natural gas-fired generators will feature combined-cycle
technology that minimizes emissions and generates electricity
30% more efficiently than earlier technology. OUC, FMPA and
KUA are partners in two coal-fired generating units at the
Stanton site with a total generating capacity of 930 megawatts.
These units are among the most environmentally sound coal-burning
operations in the nation, according to federal monitoring
agencies.
FMPA
Contact:
Mark McCain
Public Relations/Public Affairs Manager
(407) 355-7767
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