News Releases

Power Plant Construction on Schedule for Spring Completion

FORT PIERCE, Fla., Sept. 17, 2007 — The Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) connected its newest power plant to the statewide transmission grid Saturday as the facility transitions from construction to testing in preparation for serving electric customers.

“The transition into the testing phase is a major milestone,” said FMPA General Manager and CEO Roger Fontes. “We continue to work hard to complete the project on time and on budget in an effort to provide reliable, cost-effective power to our growing member communities.”

Treasure Coast Energy Center, a 300 megawatt natural gas power plant, connected to the state’s high-voltage electric transmission grid through a process known as backfeed. This process imports electricity to test the plant’s electrical systems, equipment and wiring. Backfeed will last until commercial operation begins, currently planned in May 2008.

Power from the plant will serve thousands of electric customers in Bushnell, Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Green Cove Springs, Town of Havana, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Newberry, Ocala, Starke and Vero Beach.

Construction of the $266 million project began in August 2006. Treasure Coast Energy Center is a high-efficiency, natural gas-fired power plant. With its advanced environmental control technologies, the plant will be one of the lowest emission plants in Florida and one of the highest efficiency plants in the state. Treasure Coast Energy Center will be wholly owned by FMPA’s All-Requirements Project, and it will be operated under contract by Fort Pierce Utilities Authority.

FMPA’s largest power supply project, the All-Requirements Project, serves all the wholesale power needs of 15 cities. All-Requirements enables municipal utilities of all sizes to become owners—not just customers—of an efficient statewide power system.

Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a wholesale power company owned by 30 municipal electric utilities. FMPA provides economies of scale in power generation and related services to support community-owned electric utilities. The members of FMPA serve approximately two million Floridians. FMPA’s members include Alachua, Bartow, Blountstown, Bushnell, Chattahoochee, Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Gainesville, Green Cove Springs, Havana, Homestead, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake Worth, Lakeland, Leesburg, Moore Haven, Mount Dora, New Smyrna Beach, Newberry, Ocala, Orlando, Quincy, St. Cloud, Starke, Vero Beach, Wauchula and Williston. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.fmpa.com.

Media Contact:
Mark McCain
Assistant General Manager,
Public Relations and Human Resources
(407) 355-7767