Florida Power & Light announces solar expansion, natural gas power plant modernization
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) announced this week that they plan to add almost 2,100 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity in Florida over the next seven years.
That number includes 600 previously announced MW that is expected to be operational by 2018.
FPL also plans to replace its power plant in Dania Beach, Florida with modern natural gas technology and close down the St. Johns River Power Park, a coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville. FPL recently reached
a preliminary agreement with joint owner of the plant JEA to close it down.
FPL expects that the recently announced solar projects and natural gas plant modernization project will
save its customers approximately half a billion dollars.
“We continue to advance affordable clean energy strategically – making substantial improvements year after year while keeping overall electric rates lower than they were 10 years ago,” Eric Silagy, FPL president and CEO, said. “We’re currently building some of the lowest-cost solar ever seen in America, and our investments in more efficient natural gas technology are delivering enormous savings and environmental benefits for our customers and our state.”
FPL predicts that the percentage of solar in its energy mix will surpass that of oil and coal by 2020. The company expects to reduce its coal and oil usage to less than one percent of its energy mix and quadruple its solar usage in the next few years. By 2023, FPL projects solar to make up four percent of its energy mix.
